A Beginning to End
by AriesBalorPrincess
Summary: The sequel to A New Beginning. It's five years later and things are looking up for the family, but their past is their to haunt them. Will they be able to escape the past they had created and live happily ever after as the loving family they once hoped they could be? Or will their past keep the burning flames alive? AU story.
1. Chapter 1

"Where'd you find this pretty little girl?" A 7 month pregnant Zoe asked with a smile walking up to her house to see her husband running around the front yard with a little girl with her curly dark blonde hair in pigtails, bright green ribbons tied to the top of each one, on her husband's back, soft giggles ringing out.

"She was wandering the streets saying she knew us," Wade joked walking over to his wife sharing a kiss with her. "My heart broke seeing her little pout," Wade tacked on, spinning in a circle once to make said little girl giggle louder.

"Aunt Zoe," the little girl giggled the second Zoe pressed a kiss to her little cheek.

"Ladybug Kara," Zoe replied ticking the little girl. Hearing the yells within the house, Wade had Kara let go and placed her on the ground, she ran off to blow bubbles with Elizabeth. Wade shared a look with Zoe. Over the years they had perfected the perfect way to take their kids on and good cop/bad cop was not the way to go. Wade liked his humor.

"You're so annoying Braxton!" Ariel yelled storming outside. Seeing her daughter in the shortest skirt she had ever seen she shook her head and had to wonder if that scrap of material could even be considered clothes. At the very least the top covered everything and was long enough. "Can someone tell Braxton that what I'm wearing is okay?" Ariel pleaded standing in front of her parents. She saw nothing wrong with her outfit of choice. Braxton was being the annoying and overprotective brother.

"Can you please put your little sister's skirt back into her dresser?" Wade asked. "Because you're not going anywhere with that skirt on," he told her his voice changing from joking to serious.

"Like I'd wear any of Eliza's clothes," Ariel huffed, rolling her eyes.

"Daddy I don't want that ugly skirt," the little brown haired girl yelled across the yard. Wade turned his head to hide the laugh that wanted to come out. Zoe shook her head in amusement.

"Mom," Ariel whined.

"The skirt needs to go. Either wear a longer skirt or put jeans on," Zoe told her daughter with no room to argue.

"But..." Ariel tried to protest quickly getting cut off.

"But nothin', you heard your Ma, either you go change or you don't go to this party tonight," Wade threatened, standing his ground. There was no way he was letting her out dressed like that, especially to a party. Once upon a time he had been a teenage boy; he knew exactly what ran through their heads.

With a huff Ariel turned around muttering things under her breath, storming into the house. "Please remind me that this one really is a boy," Zoe said, rubbing her stomach.

"It best be," Wade grunted, wrapping his arms around his wife his hands resting on her stomach that housed their son. He loved his girls but he couldn't deal with any more little girls. Two were more than enough.

The last six years wasn't the best for the mix of a little family. After losing the first baby they had been scared to even try for another baby, but with a lot of communication and talking they were not only able to save their marriage but they were given a little girl, one that was a perfect mix of them both. Zoe's hair and Wade's eyes. She had her mother's stubbornness and her father's attitude. Her temper was a mix of both of them and it was something neither one wanted to deal with. It was in late November when Elizabeth Joyce Kinsella had made her arrival into the world 4 years ago.

Kara was Jesse little girl with the woman he had literally fallen for. They had tripped each other up and that was the start of something beautiful, making the perfect little girl, though Wade would always think his little girls were better, he really did look at Ariel as his, he was the one around to raise her for the past 6 years of her life. He had been the one to teach her and Braxton to drive both a manual and a stick. The death of Justin had shocked them more than expected when it happened a little over 6 years ago now. Problems rose but together they had been able to overcome them.

"Is it too late to take back this one?" Wade asked through a smile feeling his son kick against his hand. He couldn't get enough of it.

"It might be," Zoe stated, placing her hands on top of his. "Kara here for the night?"

"Uh no Jesse will be back later to get her and Miss Eliza for the night. Brax is headed to a friends house and Ariel is staying at a friends after the party is over with leaving us to have the house to ourselves," Wade told her going over it in his head careful not to forget anything. Zoe kissed his cheek, heading into the house. She stopped short in the bathroom seeing the pink color crayon that was all over the sink and counter top.

"Is this better?" Ariel asked standing in front of her mom with jeans and a new tee shirt on.

"Looks good to me," Zoe replied looking her daughter over. "Run it past your father though," Zoe told her.

"Take a sweater with ya, just in case," Wade replied. "But much better sweetie." Ariel rolled her eyes.

"It's like the middle of a heat wave and you're telling me to take a sweater to a party. Do you want the whole school to think I'm a freak?" Ariel asked outraged.

"Sorry to break the news to ya, sis, they already think you're a freak," Braxton called walking from the kitchen to his room.

"No crumbs in your bedroom, Brax," Zoe called.

"I know the drill, mom," Brax sighed with just a hint of boredom in his voice.

"I'm not taking a sweater," Ariel stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then don't, but I warned ya," Wade smirked kissing her cheek. Ariel rolled her eyes telling her parents bye and headed out the door. "She'll regret it when there's a down pour tonight." Zoe laughed slightly turning back to the color crayon that seemed to be never-ending around her.

"Mind telling me what happened here?" Zoe asked, leaning against Wade pointing to the scribble marks.

"I was making lunch, she had to go potty. She was taking a little longer than necessary and when I checked on her she was drawing mommy a pretty pink picture," Wade smirked with his explanation. "We had to save the masterpiece for mommy to see."

"Mommy needs Daddy to clean this masterpiece up," Zoe yawned. "I'm gonna go lay down for a bit."

"You need to pace yourself and just relax," Wade reminded her; Zoe rolled her eyes a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She had heard that one sentence multiple times every single day while being pregnant. She let him say it without giving him trouble for it; he was looking out for her and their unborn baby. "I'll bring you some food in a bit," he told her.

"Okay," she told him softly, going on her tippy toes to kiss him softly. It was the little giggles that broke their kiss up.

"What's so funny, miss Eliza?" Wade asked tossing the little girl over his shoulder, tickling her side.

"Uncle Jesse," Eliza giggled squirming on her dad's shoulder.

"Everything ready?" Jesse asked, stepping in the house at that moment.

"Yeah, her bag is by the door and we'll see you tomorrow night for dinner," Wade replied, kissing his daughter. "Go say bye-bye to mommy," Wade instructed her. Eliza nodded her head and ran to her parents' bedroom. "Thanks for this, man."

"It's nothing; I owe ya a lot after watching Kara for a week while not only I was sick but Taryn as well."

"So 7 free nights of a babysitter?" Wade smirked. Jesse rolled his eyes gently shoving his younger brother by the shoulder with a smile on his face. There wasn't much he could think of that he wouldn't do for Wade.

"Bye daddy," Eliza said, holding her arms out for Wade to pick her up for one more hug. Wade did as instructed, hugging her in a tight bear hug.

"Bye pumpkin, be good for Uncle Jesse and Aunt Taryn, okay?" Wade asked. Eliza nodded her head. "I'll see you tomorrow night," he told her with a kiss to her cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too daddy," she replied smacking a kiss on his cheek.

Just like that she was out the door with Jesse. Wade turned around to go lay down with Zoe when he heard Braxton on the stairs. "I'm heading out, I'll be back tomorrow afternoon," Braxton said walking out the door.

"Okay," Wade mumbled to himself, walking to his room. He smiled lying in bed next to a sleeping Zoe; he carefully pulled her close to hold her tight. He had almost lost her once and holding her close calmed his nervous about it ever happening again. It was times like this that took him back to the memories he had collected at the hospital a little over 5 months of them being married, Zoe had learnt that she was 2 months pregnant a month after being married. It was that night that shook things up in a bad way for them, the night he hated to recall but couldn't keep it from playing in his head now that Zoe was at 7 months along in her pregnancy with their little boy.

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 _ **I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter for the sequel for A New Beginning. I know there's a lot of questions that I've left unanswered from the ending of A New Beginning to the start of this one, but please trust me they will get answered shortly.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I am sorry for the short delay with this chapter, but I couldn't get it right and this wasn't even what it was I wanted to write for it, it just came out and I didn't have the heart to delete it and start over, so my original idea for this chapter won't be for a few more chapters.**_

 _ **I don't want to mix anyone up but this chapter takes place just a few days after their wedding in A New Beginning.**_

 _ **Thank you for the love on the first chapter, hope you all like this one as well. Enjoy!**_

* * *

 **~5 years earlier~**

Not wanting to leave the kids out of what should have been a very romantic honeymoon, Wade and Zoe talked about it and they didn't feel right leaving the kids behind. They were coming together as a family and as much as this honeymoon was for Wade and Zoe to spend that time together, it only felt right to include the kids as well. This was about the four of them, it wasn't just Wade and Zoe in this marriage but Braxton and Ariel were tossed in officially being brother and sister now. This was for the four of them; Zoe had promised Wade that they would have their chance at being alone and spending time together. Wade wasn't worried about that because they would have plenty of time in the many years to come for it be just them, he wanted lasting memories with his wife and kids, that's what this thing was about.

The town had come together and surprised them with a 5 night stay in Atlantis for their little familymoon. Zoe and Wade were gratuitous of what the town had done for them, the townspeople had played it off like it was no trouble at all and for them it wasn't any trouble to raise the money, though Earl had help quite a lot handing over a few jars filled with money, Jackie had looked at him waiting for an explanation but Earl only shrugged simply saying it was for a rainy day.

It was there second day in the sun, the crystal blue water waiting for them. Braxton was excited today was the day that he would be getting to fed a stingray and taking a walk with the sharks if they let him that was. Tomorrow they would be swimming with the dolphins something he wasn't all that thrilled about but Ariel wanted to see them and swim with them and no matter how much he had protested he had to do it because they were to spend time as a family.

"Are you sure that you're going to be okay?" Wade asked, pressing his lips to Zoe forehead. She had awoken early in the morning beating the sun up rushing to the bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach. Wade was there to hold her hair and now he didn't want to leave her side.

"I'll be fine, enjoy your day with the kids," Zoe told him a smile on her face. She did want to be out there exploring and having fun with her family but her stomach wasn't making that easy for her.

"We'll be back in time to go to lunch, think you'll be up for that?" Wade asked, combing his fingers through her hair.

"Maybe," she replied. Wade nodded pressing his lips against hers for a quick kiss. "Have fun," she called out to her family.

"We will," echoed Braxton and Ariel as they raced out the door Wade held open for them.

"Don't lose my babies," Zoe warned him, sitting up in the bed.

"I make no promises," Wade chuckled. "You rest," he warned heading out.

Zoe sighed, falling back against the fluffy pillows on the bed. If yesterday was any indication of how today was going to go, then soon enough she would be feeling just fine. The wheels in her head started to turn and she was up and out of bed quickly getting dressed and running a brush through her hair. Finding the little shop inside the hotel was easy, finding what it was she needed proved to be a little tricky at first, getting swept away with the thoughts of babies seeing the little things they had in the shop for babies. Finding the test she needed, she bought it giving the young woman a smile paying for her item. With her change and her purchase inside a bag Zoe went straight to the room, making a beeline dash to the bathroom to pee on the white stick.

Waiting 5 minutes was by far worse than any exam she had to take in medical school. Those 5 little minutes seemed to drag on and on as she paced around the whole length of the hotel room they had. Braxton and Ariel had their own room that was off one end of the little living area while she and Wade had a room on the other end, a bathroom attached to both sets of rooms.

Hearing the timer go off on her phone, Zoe raced to the bathroom to see what the white stick had to say about her future. A smile crossed her face as she looked at the results, she looked up at her reflection in the mirror to see her glowing reflection staring back at her, she dropped the test onto the counter top her hands lifting her shirt up to rest on her stomach. Excitement shot through her body at confirming what she had started to suspect not even 20 minutes earlier. She didn't have time to think about Wade's reaction if they were ready to add a child into their lives. She was happy that she was with child; she wasn't even worried about Wade's reaction when she told him.

"Where are the kids?" Zoe asked, sitting on the little balcony looking over the resort. Wade dropped a kiss to her lips as he walked past her, dropping himself into the chair next to him. "I thought I told you not to lose my babies," she told him not able to keep the smile off her face as she tried to be stern with him.

"With this nanny for the next few hours, a play group of sorts for their age, I figured we could use a few minutes to ourselves. Are you feeling any better?" Wade asked, bringing her hand to his lips before placing it in his lap, curling both his hands around her hand.

"Much," she told him, moving her gaze to him. "This sickness, it's going to continue and there isn't really much we can do to stop it, Wade," she told him, drinking in his confused look for a second before a smile split his face into two.

"You mean it?" He asked happiness shining brighter in his eyes than the sun above them in the clear blue sky. It had taken a moment to sink in, but putting together how she's been the last few days it clicked in his head and there wasn't any other kind of sickness he knew about that would make her glow and be all giddy.

"Mean what?" Zoe asked in a playfully manner. He said nothing his eyes moving to her stomach, he got out of the chair dropping his knees in front of Zoe, his hands going to her stomach.

"I'm going to be a father, again?" He asked, looking up at her. Zoe smiled nodding her head. Wade's smile grew wider as he moved Zoe's shirt out of his way. His lips pressed against her stomach. Zoe smiled running her hands through his hair. She was relieved to know that Wade felt the same way as she had. He looked up at her with a glint in his eyes.

"What?" She giggled, lightly pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

"We need to celebrate," he smirked, getting to his feet. Zoe took his hand in hers and let him lead her over to the bed where they celebrated bringing themselves closer than ever.

They were dressed ready for a late lunch cuddled on the couch, Wade's hand resting on her flat stomach, a look of pure joy in his eyes. Zoe rested her hand over his. That's how they were sitting when the kids burst into the room going on and on about what they had done with the other kids. Wade and Zoe smiled listening to the stories as they got up and made their way to a little place to have some lunch and decide on what they wanted to do for the rest of the day.

The water park had won out. Wade looked at the waterslides and looked at Zoe shaking his head. Zoe laughed rolling her eyes telling him that it was fine and that she was going to take it easy lying in the sun for a bit anyways. Wade once again shook his head. "Make sure you lay in the shade," he said pressing his lips against hers. Zoe smiled into the kiss, pulling away.

"I will," she remarked, taking the things the kids wouldn't need as they went on ahead of Wade. They decided to hold off on telling the kids that they would be getting a little sibling until they were certain for sure and they weren't sure how the kids were going to take the news so holding off on telling them until they were home sounded like the best idea to them, they didn't want to ruin this family vacation.

The days they had spent in Atlantis when Zoe wasn't forced to bringing everything up she had eaten, they had fun and explored everything they had wanted to do. Braxton was able to feed the stingrays and see the sharks close up. Ariel had been able to play and swim with the dolphins, but most importantly they had fun and they didn't want to return home to where school was waiting them. They did however want to return home to see their families they had missed their Grandpa Earl, Grandpa Harley, Grandma Jackie and even Norma, she was a grandma to them. They really couldn't wait to see Uncle Jesse either.

Their plane ride home was spent in chatter on all the things they had done and wanting to go back to do. Talk had quickly turned into what they were going to do once they got home. After that the kids had zoned out leaving Wade and Zoe to talk about how they planned on breaking the news of her pregnancy first to their kids then to their family and slowly the rest of the town was going to find out, but they weren't worried about telling the whole town just the friends that they had grown close to, the ones that really mattered.

The car ride from the airport in Mobile to Bluebell was spent in silence as the kids watched the world in front of them pass by them, their smiles growing bigger the closer they got to Bluebell. Wade had to agree that it was good to be home. He had fun the past week with his family but being home and getting back to work to provide for his family and soon to be the newest member he couldn't wait.

Pulling up to their house he was half expecting to see the town out front ready to bombard them with questions, but their front yard was empty. Walking inside he was relieved to see that the place was empty and the way they had left it. Tomorrow he decided he would make a stop at the post office to get their mail, but until then he wanted nothing more than to climb into bed and cuddle with his pregnant wife, traveling took a lot out of a guy, took even more out of a pregnant woman.

"We're going to go see everybody," Braxton called running down the stairs. Wade was going to mention they needed to unpack first but like the mail unpacking could wait.

"Okay, just be home before dinner time," Wade told them, bringing in the last of the luggage.

"We will," Ariel answered running out the door after Braxton. Wade shook his head, shutting the door. Leaving the luggage by the door, Wade walked through the house to the bedroom to see Zoe sound asleep in the middle of the bed. It didn't take him very long to discard his clothing down to his boxers walking the short distance from the bedroom door to the bed, where he joined his wife, his hands resting on her stomach to protect his unborn child.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter does take place after the previous chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

They had both learned that keeping the possibility of Zoe being pregnant a secret was a lot harder than they had first originally thought. They wanted to tell their family and friends, it was always on the tip of their tongues, they had almost messed up and let it slip but they were able to quickly recover. Jackie was on to them, she suspected they were keeping something from her; she hinted about it but never came right out and asked them. As much as it was driving her nuts she could wait for them to make the announcement.

They were leaving the hospital in Mobile after they had found out the results. They didn't want to risk it with both Brick and Harley watching over her. They wanted to be able to tell them once they found out and not have them find the results by accident. Hearing that the first test was right that were really are expecting a baby in 7 months was incredible and Wade was in his own little world, Zoe right there with him. This baby was going to be part him and part her, they loved Braxton and Ariel, but this baby was going to be theirs. There was no father to come around when he felt like it and there was no dead mother pulling strings somewhere. This baby was them. Wade was making so many plans in his head on what the nursery was going to look like if their baby was going to be a boy. He wouldn't mind if they had a little girl, but he really wanted to have another boy. He knew what to expect with a boy and if they did have a girl, well he was going to be lost on how to take care of a girl. As for Zoe she wanted a girl, but having a boy wouldn't be that bad either, the main thing was that their baby was healthy. She could picture how she wanted the nursery. The car ride home was done so in silence, even the radio was turned off as they made the drive back from Mobile. They were so wrapped up in such amazing news that when they did pull into their driveway they were shocked that they were home already.

"What's going on?" Ariel asked walking into the house seeing Wade and Zoe sitting on the couch waiting for them.

"Can you please come sit down?" Zoe asked them. Ariel and Braxton shared a look as they sat down.

"We're not in trouble are we?" Braxton asked, quickly thinking if they had done something or if they had forgotten to do anything.

"No you're not in trouble," Wade assured him. Braxton nodded.

"Then what is it?" He asked looking from his dad and back to Zoe.

"We're having a baby," Zoe said, reaching for Wade's hand.

"What?" Ariel asked softly.

"You're going to be a big sister in a few months," Zoe told her daughter softly once more.

"I heard you, but why?" Ariel asked jumping to her feet. "I thought we were enough for you!" She shouted running up to her room. Zoe sighed falling into Wade. She relaxed against him feeling his hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"I don't get it," Braxton said making Zoe and Wade jump.

"Don't get what?" Wade asked, looking over at his son.

"Did we do something wrong that makes you want to have a different kid?" He questioned.

"That's not it at all," Zoe told him.

"Do you no longer love us?" He questioned them.

"That's not the case, we love both of you guys so much," Wade told him. "We just want to have a kid to love as mush we love you and Ariel."

"Oh, so you're not like trying to replace us or have better versions of us?" He asked.

"Nope," Zoe told him.

"Okay," Braxton said with a small nod and headed upstairs.

He skipped his room and went into Ariel's room to see her sitting in the middle of her bed, her knees against her chest. "Can you believe them?" Ariel asked with a soft huff seeing Braxton sit down on her bed. Braxton didn't say anything just sat staring at the closet door. "It was easy to get use to having you in my life as a brother because you're my best friend, but a baby?" She questioned.

"I can believe them. It won't be that bad," he said softly. As weird as it was to know that there would be a baby in the house, he always did want to have a little brother. Ariel was awesome but she was a girl and there were things that she wouldn't do. He really didn't think it was that bad. They still loved them. Parents had enough love for everyone. As long as they didn't forget about him then he would be okay with it.

"Babies cry all the time, they need a lot of attention," Ariel told him. It had been her and her mom for so long that when Braxton and Wade came into the picture it was strange at first but she was able to look over that because Braxton easily became like a brother to her right away and Wade had always been there for her and she did see him as a father figure. She loved them both, but a baby that was practically saying that she wasn't good enough for them and that they wanted a better child than she ever was.

"So," Braxton said glancing in her direction. "That just means that they'll be so wrapped up with the baby that we'll be able to get away with a few more things than we are now," he stated.

"I don't care about that, Braxton," Ariel snapped.

"You are enough Ariel. They love you, but this baby it's something they want and I guess there is nothing wrong with having a younger sibling," Braxton told her, slipping from her bed. Ariel said nothing to that as Braxton walked out of her room with a sigh. "We'll always be loved, Ariel," he told her before disappearing into his room.

Downstairs with Wade and Zoe they had remained silent soaking everything in. "They will come around won't they?" Zoe asked softly. "Braxton seems to be doing better than Ariel is doing, so that's something isn't it?"

"Yeah it is and with time," he replied quietly. He really wanted to believe that once they got over everything that they would be okay with having a baby brother or a baby sister. He had a feeling that things weren't going to sit right with them. They both had been an only child and over the last year they had gained a brother or a sister and now they were getting another one. He figured they weren't going to take the news easy, just from the talk they had before about it. But it didn't change anything.

"Why don't we go talk to Ariel, see what's really going on with her," Zoe suggested. Wade nodded. "And after we can check on Braxton."

Zoe sat down next to Ariel, putting her arm around her. "Sweetie you are enough for us. Adding a baby to this mix, it's not to make you feel like you're unwanted or unloved because that isn't the case. We love you very much and want you to be here with us to have a part in everything we do with this baby. You are very important to us."

"We'd never replace you, we couldn't do that. Ariel, having a baby doesn't change anything to do with you. Now you'll be a big sister and you'll have someone to boss around, someone that is going to look up to you. It's not a bad thing, a sister or even a little brother just means that you have another friend like you and Braxton," Wade said from his spot on the end of the bed.

"I get it I do," Ariel told them.

"If you have any questions or any doubts about this come to talk to us about it, okay?" Zoe asked. Ariel nodded her head, hugging both Zoe and Wade.

"It'd be really cool if you had a boy so I could have a little brother," Braxton announced running into the room.

"Seems Braxton has come around to the idea," Wade chuckled. "Buddy we can't promise anything like that, because we don't know if it will be a boy or a girl."

"Why not?" Braxton asked with big eyes.

"Because," Wade started to say looking at Zoe scratching the back of his neck. That wasn't the talk he really thought his son was ready for.

"It's a surprise for us, like when you get presents for Christmas or for your birthday," Zoe told him.

"Oh, okay," Braxton shrugged moving to exit Ariel's room. "Wanna play some video games?" He asked looking at Ariel.

"Sure," she beamed moving from the embrace of Wade and Zoe.

"Only for a little bit we have to leave in an hour to have dinner with the grandparents," Wade called after them.

Later that night they were sitting around the table at Earl and Jackie's place. They had invited over Harley and Norma as well. They found it hard on which set of parents they were going to tell first. Zoe wanted to tell Candice but there was no way she could wait until Candice could fly down to tell them all together. As much as Zoe hated to give such news over the phone, she'd have to do just that when it came to her own mom. Jesse wasn't able to make it so he was going over to their house the following day to see what was going on.

Light chatter was made and Braxton and Ariel were able to keep the big news to themselves all through dinner. They were having pie for dessert when Jackie finally spoke up; she was finding it harder and harder over the last few days to keep quiet about her suspicions when it came to Zoe. She was a mother herself and she could tell that Zoe was glowing.

"I can't complain that we're all here having a wonderful meal together, but I do have to wonder why?" Jackie said, gaining the attention of everyone.

"We have news," Zoe said with a smile on her face, looking at Wade. He nodded letting her know that it was okay for her to tell them. "We're having a baby," she told them.

"I knew it," Jackie squealed pulling both Wade and Zoe into a hug.

Everyone around the table had given Wade and Zoe some form of congratulations. Harley was excited that he'd get to experience everything a grandfather should right from the beginning. He had missed out on not only Ariel but everything to do with Zoe as well. A few toasts were made. Braxton and Ariel seemed to be doing okay with the news now and they both wore smiles as they let themselves get carried away with the rest of them.


	4. Chapter 4

"Is there a reason why you're not excited as the rest of your family?" Jackie asked sitting with Ariel off to the side as they watched the rest of them laughing and joking. "Do you not want a baby brother or a baby sister?"

Ariel shrugged her shoulders. "I thought I did but after seeing people with Adriana's little sister and the fact she cries all the time and they're always paying attention to her, I just don't know anymore," Ariel sighed. "Why would I want that for?"

"Not all babies are like that," Jackie told her, thinking back to when her sons were babies. "Your uncle Jesse was fussy as ever, but your father there, he rarely cried. He was a very quiet baby," Jackie told her. "It wasn't until he got older that he got louder, but sweetie all babies are different. It's a good thing, it really is," Jackie assured her.

"But what if they forget about me or Braxton?" Ariel asked, playing the sleeves of her shirt.

"Oh sweetie, that won't happen, ever," Jackie said trying to assure the young child next to her. Jackie wrapped an arm around her. "Your parents love you and they love Braxton, they could never forget about you, ever. But if you ever feel like they have forgotten about you sweetie, you can come stay here for a few days, does that sound good with you?" Jackie asked. Ariel looked over at her parents and back to her grandma nodding her head.

"Okay," she told her. Ariel smiled listening as her grandma told her stories of Wade and Jesse when they were little. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing. It did make everyone happy and having a little brother or a little sister, she really wanted a little sister, would be okay. "Maybe," Ariel said while hugging Jackie, happy to have had this little moment with her.

"Everything okay over here?" Wade asked, walking over to the two of them. Jackie looked over at Ariel.

"We're fine," she smiled, launching herself into Wade's arms taking him off guard as he stumbled backwards catching himself before they fell over. Wade shot a look at his mom and she only shook her head, leaving father and daughter alone.

"Are you sure?" Wade questioned, placing Ariel back on the floor.

"I'm sure," Ariel told him with a bright smile. Wade crouched down to her level.

"You do know that if anything is bugging you can talk to me about it, right?"

"I know that, but I promise there's nothing wrong. There was something wrong but Grandma helped solve my problem, now I'm just happy," she told him a mile a minute. Wade chuckled, standing up.

He watched as Ariel took off outside after Braxton and the rest of his family, ready to start a fire and have S'mores. Wade smiled feeling his wife's arms go around his waist from behind. "She's fine," Zoe told him.

Wade tugged Zoe around so he could look at her, his hands resting on her hips. "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop worrying about her or Braxton," he told her softly, his forehead falling to rest on hers.

"I don't want you to stop worrying about them, I'm not going to stop, but just know that she's fine and if something is bothering her she'll go to someone. Your mom was a big help with that."

"I need you to stop worrying so much about those two kids and focus on this one," Wade told her in a soft and caring tone, his hands covering her stomach. Zoe smiled standing on her toes to press her lips against his.

"Hey now, none of that, you already have one in there," Jesse joked, walking past them to the kitchen to get some stuff needed to make the gooey treats on the fire. Wade had the urge to give his brother the middle finger, but Zoe was already outside before he could even put his plan into action. Wade settled for shoving Jesse out the door. Jesse shoved back and that led to the two of them having a wrestling match in the middle of the yard.

Zoe sat down by Harley watching in the dim light from the fire her husband and her brother, casting a glance at the kids every few minutes to make sure they were staying out of the fire as they roasted marshmallows.

"For your own sake you best hope that one is a girl," Earl told her, handing her the S'mores treat he had just made.

"Why's that?" Zoe asked with a laugh.

"Must I say more?" He asked motioning to his own two boys.

Zoe laughed a little more her gaze falling on her husband. She could see the smile on his face and his faint laughter ringing out from time to time. She wouldn't mind having a little boy to take after Wade or Braxton. A little girl would be nice and within her own comfort zone of knowing how to take care of the baby, but a boy would nice as well. "I wouldn't mind," Zoe spoke up. "How are holding up, Dad?" Zoe asked, looking over at her father. He had been awfully quiet since they had made the announcement.

"I'm happy, excited to experience all the things I've missed out on, but a little scared and a little sad as well," he told them. He raised his hand when Zoe went to speak. "I know I have no reason to be, that I've been around kids all my life, I'm a doctor but it's different when it's your own blood. I've missed so much when it came to you and Ariel and now after all this time I'm going to experience it all for the first time. It can be a bit overwhelming," he explained.

Zoe nodded, hugging him. "If things would have been different," she told him, shaking her head. "But you're going to be very involved with this one," she told him, quickly getting rid of the what if moments for both of them. "And you're going to be the best Grandpa ever."

"Hey now," Earl joked. "You'll be competing with me, so don't get your hopes up," he told him.

Zoe walked off letting them battle it out on who was going to be the better grandpa. She laughed walking up to Wade to see that he was covered in grass and dirt. She started to help him get it off his back. "Such kids," she joked, looking up at him as he turned around. Wade shrugged with a glint in his eyes. All Zoe had to do was point to her stomach and whatever he had in mind was gone, as he slipped his hand under his wife's shirt to caress her stomach, letting his lips descend upon hers.


	5. Chapter 5

The days blurred into weeks and those weeks turned into months and before they knew it Zoe was almost 7 months along and they were sitting at the clinic in Mobile waiting to find out the sex of their baby. They had tried to hold off as long as possible, they wanted to be surprised when Zoe gave birth, but they couldn't do it. Ariel had really started to take a liking to the whole idea of being a big sister which Zoe was happy about. She hated seeing her daughter so broke up over this. She was really grateful for Jackie.

After the nurse had called them back and checked everything that she was suppose to do, she left the happy couple to it. They held hands but said very little to each other as they waited for their doctor to show up. They weren't left waiting long. He smiled at them as he entered the room with a soft knock on the door.

He asked them questions and they were able to easily answer each and every question. It wasn't long until Zoe was lifting her shirt up so they could get a look at their little one growing inside her stomach. He went over all the changes and developments the baby had been through since the last time they were there. He moved the wand around, the little heartbeat filling the room bringing fresh tears to its parent's eyes. Wades hand tightening around Zoe's hand.

"Congratulations you're having," the doctor paused, taking another look to make sure that he was right. The pause put both Zoe and Wade on edge as they waited to find out. "A boy," he told them. Smiles covered both Zoe and Wade's faces.

After final questions were asked and they made a new appointment for the future they headed back home, ready to share the news with everyone waiting to hear. They had already made plans on how they were going to tell their family. They had to make one small stop and they would be set.

"Are sure that you're okay with that name? We can always find a new name," Zoe told him. They had been looking at baby name books for the past month trying to find the perfect name for their baby. They had picked their favorites for both a girl and a boy.

"I wouldn't have agreed the first time if I didn't like the name, Zo," he told her, parking the car at a bakery. That brought a smile to Zoe's face; she really liked the name they had come up with.

Going inside the bakery they got some cupcakes with blue and green frosting on them. They were able to get the little plastic rings saying it's a boy on some of them and on the others little baby bottles and pacifiers were on them. They got a plan cake that had some blue and green on it. They were able to have someone write the name they had chosen right in the middle of the cake.

They paid and started their car ride back home. They had just left the city limits of Mobile when Zoe spoke up. "As much as I want to be a part of the nursery I was thinking it could be something the kids did with your help so that way they feel like they're doing something important for their little brother," she told him, her hands resting on top of her stomach as her son was moving around a little. She wanted both kids to feel like they were apart of this.

"I like that idea. I was trying to find ways for them to be involved and I don't think I would have ever thought about that," Wade told her. "Is there anything that you want to be in there?" He asked.

"Just the things that this little one is going to need," she answered him. "Let them have fun with it."

The rest of the journey home was spent going over the smaller things that they still had to sort out before their little son decide to make his grand entrance into the world.

"Unbelievable," Wade muttered with a chuckle, seeing the family there waiting on them. Jackie had stayed with the kids while they went to the appointment. But now Earl was there, along with Jesse and Harley. "Don't you have your own homes?" Wade asked walking around the car to help Zoe out. He fought back a smile when Zoe shook her had at him slightly.

"Why don't we go inside and you all can find out the answer to that question you all have that you need answered," Zoe told them.

Wade followed behind with the boxes from the bakery. When he had made it in the house a minute later Zoe already had the latest sonogram picture out and showing everyone. They had gotten extra copies just in case. Jackie was making them a little book and needed more pictures then they even had of all them combined. When they got bored of looking at the little picture it was Jesse that spoke up first.

"Would you just tell me if I'm gonna have a little niece or a little nephew to spoil," he suggested with a smirk.

Wade smirked right back. "We thought we would have cake first," Wade told him. He had done everything Zoe told him to do. Put the cake in the center of the table with cupcakes on both sides.

"What do we need cake for?" Jesse asked dumbfounded.

"Cause it's cake, duh," Ariel replied running to the kitchen, Braxton right behind her. Shouts of walk followed both kids. "I think you guys got the wrong cake," Ariel said, seeing a strange name on the cake she was looking at.

"Why would you say that?" Harley asked walking to the living room. Seeing the name on the cake brought a smile to his face.

"What's wrong with the cake?" Jesse asked standing behind a kneeling Braxton.

"Nothing is wrong with it," Wade informed his brother. "And sweetie we don't have the wrong cake."

"Then who's Boyd Vincent?" Braxton asked.

"That would be your baby brother's name," Zoe replied.

Congratulations had been said, the cake cut as they all feel into a comfortable conversation easily going from the baby to something totally different. It was the phone ringing that broke it for a minute. When Zoe didn't return minutes later Wade went in search of her to find her sitting on their bed her head in her hands. Wade couldn't figure out what she was muttering under her breath.


	6. Chapter 6

Wade crouched in front of Zoe, taking her hands in his, making Zoe look at him. "What's going on?" He asked calmly. Zoe shook her head not saying anything. "Zo, you need to calm down. Take a deep breath," he told her. She did as told taking many deep breaths as she could until she was relaxed and focused on Wade. "Now please tell me what's going on," he said rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles.

"They want Ariel," she told him, making no sense to him whatsoever. "They blame me for not letting her be apart of their lives and Justin's for that matter," she spit out. "They thought the world revolved around him, they never saw his flaws. It was them that never wanted anything to do with her and now…they're just a bunch of hypocrites," she seethed out. Wade moved to sit next to his wife on the bed, a soothing hand tracing patterns on her back. He had wondered about them, it was something that she had brought up once and it was the one thing that he never thought to mention after that, they were out of the picture just like Justin had been; he hadn't seen the point in bringing them up again. Now he was wishing he would have asked her more questions about them sooner so that way they could have avoided this whole thing.

"They can't take her," Wade told her. Zoe dryly laughed shaking her head.

"I know that, but they have rights to ya know?" She questioned. "And they want them and they are putting all this blame on me," she sighed, letting her head fall to his shoulder. "It's not fair."

"You can't let this stress you out. I can deal with them Zo," he told her, placing a lingering kiss to her temple. "Let me handle them, she's my daughter and I want to keep as much stress away from you as possible, okay?" He asked with a little beg to his voice to let him do this. He didn't want anything happening to her or their son. She nodded her head, letting her eyes close shut.

Wade moved them so they were lying on the bed, his arm wrapped around her, caressing the soft skin of her arm. His eyes were trained on the ceiling wondering how anybody especially grandparents could turn out to be so damn selfish when it came to what they thought their grandkids needed. He had lost track of time being so lost in his own thoughts that he jumped hearing his mom's voice. He checked to see if Zoe's was sleeping or if she was still awake. He let a breath of air out seeing that she was still out cold.

"It's just a bunch of bull," he sighed answering his mom questions on if things were okay, shutting the bedroom door behind him. "Apparently Ariel's other grandparents want back into her life after they had up and just left her putting all the blame on Zoe for everything," he further explained, feeling himself growing angrier.

"I am by no means picking sides here but they did lose their son and they want to be able to remember him and they want to know their granddaughter knowing they were the ones to mess up. They deserve this chance Wade, people change and they had a pretty massive wake up call. The best thing to do is for you and Zoe to sit down and hatch things out. This is about Ariel here and what they made Zoe feel or their actions towards Ariel is in the past. Do you understand?" She asked her son.

"Yeah," he sighed running a hand over his face. He understood it but he didn't like it, he didn't want them to come back into her life just to walk out when they felt like it. He didn't want anyone to cause Ariel more pain than she has already been through. She deserved a break from all the pain that's been caused in her life as of late.

"Talk it through with Zoe once she has rested but in the mean time maybe you should talk to Ariel and see where she stands on this whole thing because it does concern her." Wade nodded, leaning against the wall. "We'll leave you be," Jackie replied giving her youngest son a hug.

Harley agreed with Jackie that it was time to go. The only one to protest was Jesse and it only took a single look from his mom to get him to shut up and walk out the door. With Ariel up in her room Wade headed up stairs to talk to her about everything. With the all clear Braxton walked into his parent's bedroom. He sat on the bed remaining quiet not wanting to wake Zoe up.

"I never thought I would be lucky to have another Mom," he said under his breath unaware that Zoe was now awake and in the quietness of the room she could hear him. "Don't think that I don't love you because I have yet to call you Mom. I've done a lot of thinking and I'm okay with it because not everyone gets to have a second Mom after they lose the first one. You're a great Mom and I'm ready to call you Mom, it that's okay with you," he finished his voice barely growing louder.

"I'm more than okay with that Braxton," she replied making the boy jump. She giggled lightly sitting up. "I didn't mean to scare ya," she told him.

"You didn't scare me," he bluffed, hugging her. She smiled hugging him back.

Upstairs Wade was sitting on the floor of Ariel's room as she hung upside down off her bed. "You doing okay over there ya monkey?" Wade asked looking at her with amusement in his voice.

"Uh huh" she replied, nodding her head. "I really don't know what you want me to say. I've only met them a few times that I can remember. I barely even talked to them that day…" she trailed off. Wade didn't need to hear more, he got that she was referring to her father's funeral.

"Ariel, would you be okay if they did happen to come around wanting to be in your life again?" Wade asked her.

"I feel like Mom should be here for this talk," Ariel said, putting her hands on the floor and tumbling off her bed. "Think I could take gymnastics?" She asked, moving to sit next to him.

"I think that's another talk to have with your Mom," Wade told her, bumping her shoulder.

"Talk about what?" Zoe asked entering the room, sitting on the bed.

"Gymnastics," Ariel grinned, "can I?" she asked, sticking her bottom lip out.

"I don't see why not," Zoe smiled at her. "What's this other thing?" She asked moving her attention to her husband.

"I talked to my Mom and she made an excellent point and I was running it past Ariel," he told her evading the topic at hand. She raised an eyebrow waiting for him to elaborate more on it all. "Fine," he sighed. "The point she made is that basically we should hear them out and let them back into Ariel's life because it's the right thing to do. They lost a son, Zo and they want to hold on to him and for them to do that they need their granddaughter in their life. As much as I hate it, they need it and Ariel needs it as well."

"I hate that you're right about that. They've been a thorn for so long but I can't do that to them because I'm not that kind of person," Zoe sighed. "But we talk to them first before anything else. Is this something you want, sweetie?" Zoe asked. Ariel shrugged.

"I guess so," she replied. "I'd be okay with it."


	7. Chapter 7

**I quickly want to address and clear up the guest review and any other questions anyone has about whether Grandparent rights is a real thing or not. A few years back we went through this in my family and we learned about it from a lawyer. Each U.S. state is different. But mostly if a parent is deceased, the child's parents are divorced or the grandparent has been denied visitation they can go to court to get some kind of rights, though adoption cuts of all visitation rights of grandparents. I hope that clears things up for you. Enjoy this chapter guys, I love hearing what you think.**

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"Do you think we're doing the right thing?" Zoe asked her husband as they waited in a restaurant in Mobile for their guests. After deciding that they were going to let them be apart of Ariel's life Wade had made the call to inform them that they had to come to Mobile so they could sit down and talk about things, Wade was all about keeping all the stress he could away from Zoe.

"I do as long as Ariel wants this and they agree to our terms," Wade assured her. "I don't agree with what they're doing, but they deserve this chance, Zo." She nodded her head. She still wasn't sold on the idea of letting them back into Ariel's life after everything they had done when they had lived in the same state, but going through a death of your son did change you. She wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt here.

As they waited they had talked about going to a baby store so that way Wade had some kind of an idea on what Zoe would like to have in the nursery because he didn't want to screw this up. It was still going to be up to the kids but he was in charge and he would get the blame if it wasn't perfect. Zoe had told him that she wasn't going to pick out anything because it was up to the three of them. The most she was going to pick out was clothes for their little guy.

It wasn't much longer when they were finally joined by the older couple. Zoe made the introductions. Wade plastered on a smile for his daughter's grandparents. He studied Henry and Ruby as they pled their case. As far as he could see they were being sincere with every word they spoke.

"I don't care why you didn't want her apart of your lives before Justin's death, because that doesn't matter. We can't build anything on that. We need to forget about it and move on," Zoe told them. She was tired of hearing their excuses. If they wanted to be real grandparents they wouldn't need every excuse known to man, they would have been there, despite what their son told them or what he did.

"You're right," Henry agreed. "We will do whatever you say. You're in charge and we're only coming back into her life now. We want what's best for Ariel," he explained.

"She's still tore up over loosing Justin," Zoe told them. "She wants to know you both, but it's going to be hard for her. This whole wanting her in your lives again is coming out of left field for her and for us," Zoe said, reaching for Wade's hand.

"There are rules," Wade said, taking over. "I'm her father now, so what Zoe and I say goes," he told them, seeing they wanted to protest him on this. "Justin was okay with it," he informed them, softening the blow for them. "Until we can fully trust you, you will not take Ariel over night, you will not leave Bluebell. Ariel is not allowed to come visit you in New York until she is older and knows exactly what it is she wants and if at any times she no longer wants you guys in her life you will respect that. You will not talk bad about anyone in her life that she cares about," Wade told them. "You break any of the rules, we will not be allowed to see her or contact her until she is 18 and we have no say in the matter. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Ruby spoke up. "When can we see her?"

"The first few meetings will take place at our house. That is were you will visit her at. Depending on each visit we'll go from there," Zoe told them. "You can come over tomorrow; I'm not going to cancel the plans we have tonight for you. You will be working around our schedule," she informed them.

"That's not fair," Ruby protested.

"It is," Wade said. "You came into your lives disrupting what we have. We're not going to drop everything we have going on to bend over backwards for you. The ones that need to do the bending are the two of you," Wade told them. "Taking this thing to court is going to be a waste of time and money for all of us."

"We don't want that," Henry stated. "We'll do as you say; we just want to be given the chance to know our only granddaughter. We were wrong about you Zoe, but you need to understand…" Zoe held her hand up to cut him off.

"I knew what Justin was like and what he told you guys. You thought the world of your son, as a mother I can understand why because I think the same way about both of my kids," she informed them. Henry and Ruby shared confused looks, but Zoe shared a smile with Wade. Zoe had told him about Braxton calling her mom and it was nice to see just how far they had come in such a short time. "Justin isn't with us any longer and not to be mean but this has very little to do with him."

After finishing up with them once they were able to get everything straightened out they paid for their half of the bill and went to look at a few baby things. Wade assured her that they didn't have to, that if she wanted to go home and rest that they could. He didn't want Zoe to overexert herself and hurt her or the baby. Zoe told him she was just fine. But she had made a compromise with him, they would spend just a few minutes in the store and then they would go home and she would rest until they had to leave for dinner with his parents. It was one of the things that she enjoyed during the week. She loved having a certain day during the week to spend with Earl and Jackie and a few days later they would go over and have dinner with Harley and Norma. She loved being around her family.


	8. Chapter 8

_Ariel laid between her mom and dad on the cool green grass watching the clouds float above them, pointing out the different shapes. The white fluffy clouds turned black with each laugh they had shared bringing a massive storm with it. She ran with Zoe and Justin holding her hands tightly, her little hands slipped from theirs as the darkness settled in surrounding her._

 _"_ _Mom, Dad," she yelled through her cries. She looked around her eyes not able to make anything out. She ran one way and it never ended so she headed in a different direction, the blackness never ending to let her make it out, it seemed like she was running in place._

 _"_ _Ariel, sweetie." She followed her mom's panicked voice, letting the safety she felt carry her through the darkness. She could always count on her mom, always._ _There standing alone in meadow filled with brightly colored wildflowers, stood her mom, the birds little chirps filling her ears, easing the panic that had risen within her to vanish._

 _"_ _Mom," Ariel squealed with delight seeing her mom. Rushing to her she hung on tight looking at her dad lying peaceful in the white lining of his forever bed. The delight she had just felt slipped away being replaced by anguish. She closed her eyes wanting this to be over with._

 _Opening her eyes she watched as a family played in their yard laughter was the only sound you could hear until the screeching of tires became unbearable. Ariel watched in horror as time stood still as the car slammed into a post sending debris flying high in the air. She ran to the first set of arms waiting to comfort her._

"Hey munchkin," Wade cooed in her ear, his fingers rubbing calming circles on her back. "Shh Ariel, you're okay," he said softly. "It was a nightmare nothing more." Her little nap mid-day wasn't planned; she had slowly drifted off listening to the soft melody of the music being played.

"My Father was there and the next minute he's lying there in his coffin lifeless and then we're a happy family all of us like we are now and Mom..." Ariel trailed off. "Please tell me she's okay," Ariel begged. It had all felt real to her and she had to know that the one constant in her life was okay because she couldn't lose her mom as well.

"Your Mom is okay, she'll be home shortly," he assured her. She gave a little nod, willing the images from her mind, it felt so life like and that scared her. She had lost her father and coping with that was an ongoing battle. Her mom was the one person she could count on for everything.

Ariel paced around the house, nothing Wade tired worked to get Ariel to relax. The more she paced the more worried he had gotten not only for his daughter but for his wife. She was supposed to be home over an hour ago. Whenever she was running late she would call him and inform him, but today he heard nothing from her. She had promised that she would take it easy and that she would be home to rest before Ariel's grandparents showed up. He had called Zoe's cell but that went straight to voicemail, he called the practice but was told that she had left over an hour ago, he called everyone that he could think of in town that would know anything and none of them had seen her. He couldn't get a hold of Lavon but he didn't think anything of that.

When Henry and Ruby showed up and Zoe wasn't back yet, Wade was on edge. Anything could have happened to his wife and he was left in the dark. He had tried to remain cool while Ariel sat close to him and refused to move closer to her grandparents, he figured it was going to take sometime after they had basically abandoned her when she little. Basic questions had been asked and Ariel told them the answers whether it was the answers they were looking for or not. She didn't have regards in holding back to spare their feelings.

"Dad," Ariel said, ignoring the latest question they had asked her. Wade tore his gaze from the front window to his daughter. "Where's Mom?" She asked frightened. Wade sighed hating that he had to be the one to tell her that he had no idea where she was at. Over the last few months they had gotten good at letting each other know where they were going to be and at what time and Wade made sure he knew every single detail in her day just in case something went wrong, he knew right where to look, but now he had no idea where she was at and it was freaking him out.

"Yes, where is Zoe?" Ruby asked. "We were under the impression that she'd be here." He really didn't want to discus where his wife was at with Ruby and Henry of all people, but he had to think of something to sooth Ariel.

His head shot to the door when it opened and Braxton bounced into the house still laughing. Jesse followed his nephew into the house. Wade quickly got up and went over to Jesse. "What's going on?" Jesse asked, seeing the look on his brother's face.

"You haven't seen Zoe have you?" Wade asked under his breath not wanting his guests or Ariel to hear what they were saying.

"The last I saw of her she was with Lavon," Jesse told him. "Why?"

"No reason," he told his brother. "Right now isn't really a good time though," Wade told him. Jesse looked over his brother's shoulder to see who was there and seeing the couple he understood why. Jesse nodded and headed out the door. Wade shut the door and went back over to Ariel; he kissed the top of her head, whispering in her ear, "she's with Uncle Lavon." That might have explained why he wasn't able to reach either one of them.


	9. Chapter 9

**This chapter was actually meant to go up yesterday, but I didn't like what I had written for the last half of this chapter and had to change it and things wouldn't have lined up with the first story if I would've went through with what I originally had. What I had written will be coming up in a later chapter, as it's one of the major plot points of this story. This is one of the chapters that I'm really not certain about. I hope you guys like it.**

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"This is just great," Zoe huffed, rubbing her stomach. She had gone to see Lavon about a gift for Wade. Lavon had promised that it was in the attic so together they had gone up to the attic to find it only it wasn't there. He had gone down to the basement to look for it as well and she sat on the couch because Lavon had gotten paranoid thanks to Wade making sure she took it easy. He had returned 15 minutes later empty handed. She was going to call it a day and head on home and get things set up for Henry and Ruby's visit later in the day, but Lavon finally figured out where it was and together they headed over to the carriage house and went up stairs after Lavon told her to be careful. She had tried so hard not to roll her eyes at her friend, but it was hard not to. She was use to her family especially Wade telling her to be careful, that when it came to the rest of Bluebell telling her the same thing repeatedly it got on her nerves even if she did know that it came from a good place.

"I remember putting things up here months before you ever moved here. Must've accidentally put it with the other things," he told her on the trek up the stairs. "Don't shut the door, because we can't open it from the inside." She made sure to keep the door wide open when she had entered the little room. It was Lavon that moved a box, knocking a stack of boxes over causing the door to slam shut.

Lavon had cursed under his breath trying to pull the door open but it wouldn't budge, just like he had said it wouldn't. Zoe sat down on a chair, going to pull out her phone, only once she couldn't find it she remembered that she had left it in her purse that sat on Lavon's kitchen counter. She watched as Lavon frantically searched for his phone only to see his face fall when he couldn't find it.

That's how they had gotten stuck in one of the upstairs room in the carriage house with no way of getting a hold of anyone to come and find them. And to top it off she was feeling a small pain shoot through her stomach.

"Are you doing okay?" Lavon asked with a sigh giving up what it was he was doing. There was no use they couldn't get out through the door or the windows since they were sealed shut. He kept trying because he had to do something. There had to be a way out, something had to give out.

"Just peachy Lavon," she hissed between her teeth, the pain becoming too much to bare. Lavon was next to her in a heartbeat.

Zoe not only needed Wade but she wanted her husband and Lavon really wished Wade was there, he had no idea what he was supposed to do or how to help Zoe through this. "I'll find a way out of here, big Z," he promised her.

With the intensifying pain she could hardly concentrate on anything Lavon was saying or what it was he was doing with the blurry vision that she had going on. Time was lost on her.

Wade called Harley and had him come over to keep an eye on the kids after Henry and Ruby left, which he had sent them packing sooner rather than later when he saw that Ariel still wasn't relaxed on where her mom was Harley lived closer so it was easier to call him than his own parents. With the kids taken care of he headed over to Lavon's place. He still wasn't getting a hold of either one when he called their phones and he was beyond worried at what was going on. Zoe could be hurt and it pained him because he wasn't there to help her out.

He was jumping from the car before he had it in park and shut off. He ran through Lavon's house, yelling for either Lavon or Zoe. He frowned when he didn't get a reply or couldn't find them. He quickly moved to check the rest of the plantation out. He came across Burt Reynolds. He checked the gate house but the place was empty, he didn't even take the time to reminisce about the memories that he had made there with Braxton. The only other place he had left to look was at the carriage house.

"Lavon, Zoe!" He yelled looking downstairs. He froze at the bottom of the stairs hearing Lavon calling his name. "Lavon," he yelled again, going up the stairs as fast as he dared to go.

"In here," Lavon called back, hitting on the door.

"What happened?" Wade asked bursting in through the door going straight to Zoe as Lavon stayed by the door making sure it stayed open. Lavon quickly filled Wade in on everything that had happened. "Baby?" Wade cooed softly, running a running over her stomach.

"It hurts," she managed to get out, taking a deep breath.

"We're going to the hospital now," he demanded helping Zoe stand up, keeping an arm around her helping her down the flight of stairs and to where the car was parked at.

Lavon drove to them to the hospital, Wade in the back holding Zoe close to him afraid. The drive was done so in a blink of an eye and when they took Zoe everything seemed to pass by in a blur of motion. He found it hard to sit still while he was waiting on news of what was going on. He had called and informed his parents and Harley on what was going, not that he knew anything to begin with, he promised to keep them updated on the whole situation.

Wade shot up out of his chair seeing a doctor enter the little waiting room they were in. "How's my wife and my son?" He asked.

"Mr. Kinsella, you wife has pre-eclampsia and a very high stress level, as for the baby, everything going on with your wife has affected him as well, we're doing everything we can to save them both," the doctor informed him.

Wade had been stunned into silence. Just like that he could lose them both and that dread that had taken residency in the pit of his stomach filled him completely. He couldn't lose either one of them. He was so wrapped up in his own world that he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Coming back down to reality he saw his brother sitting next to him.

Lavon had graciously filled Jesse in when he walked into the waiting room. Jesse waited about 5 minutes seeing that his brother needed a few minutes to get things sorted out in his head. Waiting to be there to comfort his brother had taken a toll on him and he went over to his little brother who happened to look lost sitting there, his face drained of any color, blank of any emotions, but his eyes gave everything way. His once bright eyes were dull and red. Jesse couldn't even fathom the things that Wade was feeling. More than once Wade had found himself in this position, as the older brother he wanted to take that pain and grief away from Wade.

"It's going to be okay," Jesse told him softly. Wade shook his head.

"You don't know that, Jesse," Wade told him back, his voice deprived of any emotions.

"No I don't know that, but I do have faith that everything is going to turn out and be fine. You need to believe that everything is going to be okay, Wade. You need too," Jesse told him, seeing the doctor walk into the room.

"I want to believe and have faith, but over time I've lost it. Look at my life Jesse; wouldn't you feel the same way?" Wade asked. Jesse wasn't sure how to answer that question, he had never went through what Wade had and he didn't know how he would feel about life or anything after going through something like that.

"Excuse Mr. Kinsella," the doctor said.

Wade shot up out of his chair and standing in front of the doctor, the questions on his mind out in rush, whether they could understand it was lost on him as he stopped to take a deep breath.

"Mother and baby are fine. We do need to keep them over night maybe a few days longer. It'll be a few more minutes before you can see your wife." He was told, relaxing him with in seconds.

"Thank you," he said lowly, turning to fall into his brothers arms.

Those few minutes turned into a half hour and he had sent Jesse and Lavon home. Jesse had promised to let everyone know what was going on. The more time that had ticked by on the clock hanging on the wall he wished that he would have had one of them stay with him until he was shown to Zoe's hospital room. Not only was he starting to get worried again but panic and his dread was filling within him when the nurse showed up to show him to his wife's room. Entering the room he rushed to her side ignoring the wires and tubes that were hooked up to her. He hugged and kissed her sleeping form, whispering I love you into her ear. He kissed her stomach and talked to his son. With a yawn he pulled a chair as close as he could to the bed and got comfortable in the semi hard chair, holding onto his wife's hand.


	10. Chapter 10

**The second part I was talking about in the previous chapter that I already had written that was going to be used in a future chapter is now in this one. I wasn't expecting this all to happen so fast in the story, so I had to go back and change how far along Zoe is. Instead of her being 6 months along in the pregnancy with Boyd she is now 7 months along.**

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Falling asleep in the chair was the last thing he remembered before total chaos was going on around him. He had been kicked out of the hospital room and forced back to the waiting room that had felt more like a jail than anything else. He was scared and freaking out and the one person that he needed the most he couldn't have in his arms. He didn't even remember calling anyone but Jesse was there shoving a cup of coffee in his hands and Lavon was there to lend his support. He tried to tell them what it was he could remember, but after the erratic beeping of the machines and doctors and nurses rushing into the room, he was at a loss on what was taking place around him.

"Wade, why don't you go outside and get some fresh air," Jesse suggested, getting dizzy from watching his brother walk from one end of the waiting room back to the other end. Wade shook his head; there was no way he was going to leave the waiting room when there was something going on with his wife and son. Everything was supposed to be good, not take a turn for the worse.

"I'm not leaving," Wade told his brother. Waiting was getting tiresome but there was no way he was going to leave when he didn't have the answers he wanted. He really wanted this to be a dream and for it to be over with. He wanted to wake up with Zoe in his arms and his little boy to be healthy in her stomach safe and sound. The way it should be.

"I'm not asking you to leave Wade. I want you to go get some fresh air because you need it," Jesse told him.

"No," Wade told him making Jesse sigh and slump back in his chair.

Wade started to pace again and Jesse closed his eyes with a groan not wanting to deal with his brother. Lavon walked up to Wade and put his arm around him and led him from the small room. Lavon was worried that a fight between brothers was going to start and that was the very last thing any of them needed to deal with. Wade needed to get out of the small room with his emotions on high alert and Jesse even if he didn't want to admit it was scared and worried but he was holding it together for his little brother.

"I said I wasn't leaving," Wade hissed, turning to head back inside coming out of the trance he was in to see that Lavon had led him outside. Lavon was there in his way. "Move!" Wade demanded. Lavon shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You need to breathe and relax, Wade. We're all worried about Zoe and little Boyd," Lavon started out saying. "It's not doing you any good to let this rage you feel at the universe come out. You need to stay level headed about all of this because Zoe is going to need you when this is all over with."

Wade sighed and fell to the ground, his back resting on the rough brick wall of the hospital. What Lavon said had made sense. "I don't know what to do, Lavon. It feels like my life is falling apart and I can't stop it from happening. I want to help, but I can't. Do you know how that feels?" Wade asked, his head falling to the brick wall looking up at the dark sky.

"No I don't know how that feels, but Wade I wish there was something that I could do to help out as well," Lavon told him with a sigh of his own. "It's not fun watching this thing tear you apart piece by piece."

"You're doing something to help by just being here. You don't have to be here, but thank you for the support Lavon," Wade told him. "You and Jesse have saved me more than once tonight. I can't thank either one of you enough for that."

"You don't have to," Jesse said joining the duo. "We want to be here, Wade. Nothing you can say is going to make us leave." Wade nodded and cracked his first real smile in what he felt like was ages even if it was only a few hours since the last time he smiled. "You doing okay?" Jesse checked.

Wade shook his head. "It feels like my lungs have a shit load of sand in them, like my heart is in this vice and it keeps tightening with every beat and I feel so sick to my stomach that I can't think straight," Wade told them both.

With that being said, they three of them remained quiet listening to life move on all around them. Talking about anything didn't feel right; worrying about what was going on around them made it hard to focus on anything else. Listening to the world around them, breathing in the fresh air the city had to offer was a welcome change from the stuffy waiting room they had been stuck in with the only noise to fill the void was the ticking of the clock that had drove them crazy, so the change in noise was a welcomed one.

It was about an hour later when they headed back inside. On their way back upstairs Jesse had made them stop at the little chapel the hospital had to offer. Wade had stopped at the nurse's station to see if there was an update on Zoe. But the young nurse with a sad expression on her face informed him they hadn't heard anything yet. An eerie silence had taken over the little waiting room they were sitting in. Wade sat in a chair, his head in his hands.

The doctor walked in with a grim expression on his face. Wade could feel the bile rising up his throat. He had to force himself to listen as the doctor told him that they had thought they had everything under control but things had gotten worse with Zoe and that they had tried everything but they just couldn't save his little son. Hearing that he had lost his son the world fell apart and he was on the floor.

"Zoe?" He questioned afraid to hear the answer that was waiting for him.

"She's still in surgery; there have been a few complications along the way. I'm sorry," the doctor told them. "Please if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask," he said. When no one said anything he took that as his cue to leave.

Jesse had gotten up to make the necessary phone calls to let everyone know what was going on. When he entered the waiting room, Wade was up and pacing the room once more. Jesse looked over at Lavon and Lavon shook his head. He wanted to comfort his brother, but words were failing him, it wasn't like he could tell him that things were going to be okay, because things weren't okay and they weren't going to be okay. He had never lost anyone the way Wade had. The most he could do is hug his brother and he did just that. Wade fell into his brother's embrace and let the tears flow out as fast as they wanted to come.

Wade could remember back to when Zoe had told him that he was going to be a father again and that one little moment was a priceless one, a moment he wouldn't ever forget. He never thought of having more kids after everything with Aggie. Braxton had been more than enough but it was Zoe and Ariel coming into his life to show him just how much he was missing out on with having more kids. For the past 7 months his life had been on cloud nine and it was taken away from in the blink of an eye because of complications, ones he didn't even want to know. He didn't need to know everything that happened in the room, all he needed to know was that he wouldn't get to play catch with his son or get to watch him grow up. It was so wrong and not only had his heart been ripped out and stepped on, his whole world had fallen away. To make matters worse, his wife was in surgery and things could go either way. And the more time ticked past him the more it ate him up on the inside not hearing from any of the doctors or nurses on how she was doing. He felt useless because the only thing he could be doing was stay sitting in the stupid uncomfortable chairs the hospital had to offer or pacing the room waiting to hear back, he wanted to be doing so much more, waiting on news made him feel useless.

"She's my world now and I can't relax until I know what's going on," he said to the protests he could clearly see on Lavon and Jesse's faces as he moved from his brother's embrace to pace the little room that felt as if it was closing in on him. "I already lost my son, the son I won't ever get to know, I can't lose Zoe too, not after everything we've been through," he gulped falling to the floor holding his head in his hands. "You can't understand what I'm going through," he sobbed. "I can't go through this again," he whispered looking up towards the heavens.

Without saying a word Lavon and Jesse moved to sit next to him, giving him the comfort he needed to fill right now. They couldn't make it go away but they could do there part in helping Wade cope and deal with things until they were told what was going on with Zoe.


	11. Chapter 11

Zoe woke up to the bright light of the sun filling her hospital room. Mixed in with the beeping of the machines that surrounded her and the itchy IV in her hand was the soft snores she knew a mile away. Looking to her right she saw Wade sleeping in the chair. His legs straight out in front of him, his head fallen back, she winched just thinking about the cramps that he was going to have once he woke up from his slumber, or maybe the wince was from the pain she felt in every inch of her sore body.

Wade woke up to hearing a low grunt coming from his left, the beeps loud in his ears. Stretching and getting the sleep from his eyes it all came back to him in a rush. He stood up looking over at Zoe. He was right next to the bed seeing the unshed tears in her eyes. He took her hand in his, leaning over to kiss her lips softly.

"How you feeling?" Wade asked in a hushed whisper.

"How should I feel?" She asked rhetorically. She was in pain; looking at her flat stomach she could tell she no longer had her son. The events that happened through the night were a bit foggy but she knew enough. She had lost her son and she was in shock. The sorrow and the depression they hadn't fully set in yet.

"Do you need anything?" He asked then. This whole ordeal was hard on him; he couldn't even process how hard it was on Zoe. She had been there to love their son every day to feel him grow, she had taken care of him since the very first day and for this to happen, she had to be crushed, devastated even.

"I need to go home," she told him sharply, moving an inch sending a sharp pain up her side.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Kinsella but you're going to be in the hospital for a few days," the doctor said entering the room. "We need to keep you in and observe you to make sure nothing happens over the next few days. This is for you," he said seeing the fight in her eyes.

Zoe huffed not liking that answer. She wanted to go home to her kids, where she could be left alone in her own pity and sorrow over the events that had occurred. She blamed herself, there was no one else to blame for what happened. It was her fault, she couldn't keep her baby safe, and how lame was she for that?

He had asked her how much pain she was in on a scale of 1 to 10 and she replied with 50, they upped her morphine intake. With the doctor gone after checking over everything and explaining things a little more in depth about what had happened to Zoe. Wade sat back down in the chair watching his wife's eyes slowly droop. "You should go home," she told him keeping her eyes shut.

"I'm right where I want to be, Zo," he told her.

"I don't want you here, Wade. I want to be left alone," she told him a bit more harshly than she had planned for it to come out.

"Okay, but I'm going to come back later," he told her, getting up to kiss her forehead.

"Please just stay home and take care of the kids, I'll be fine. I need time Wade," she pleaded with him. She didn't like kicking him out, she really needed him to be there to assure her that things were going to be okay, but she couldn't allow herself that comfort. Not after losing her son.

"Okay," he told her softly. He was mad with himself for letting this happen. He could tell that she was blaming herself and it wasn't her fault. He didn't want to leave her, he wanted to stay next to her but it wouldn't do them any good when she didn't want that. He'd give her the space she asked for, but he wasn't going to let it last longer than he thought it should. He had made a promise to protect her and he was going to do just that. "Call and I'll be here. I know it doesn't seem like it but things are going to be okay," he told her needing to believe in the words he had just spoken.

With getting no reply from his wife he walked out the door. The second the door shut Zoe let herself fall apart, the tears she'd been holding back for her son streaming out. Wade stopped at the nurse's station leaving his number just in case anything happened when he wasn't around. They had promised to keep him updated.

Instead of going home he went straight to his parent's house. The kids would be in school so there was no need to go home. Harley had promised he wouldn't tell them what was going on, just that their parents would be home soon. Wade was really dreading having that talk with both of them. How in the world was he supposed to tell them that their little brother wouldn't be coming home and they wouldn't get to meet him? He needed Zoe there to help him with that but he knew that wasn't going to be possible. They'd both ask questions and he wasn't going to lie to them about anything. He was going to be honest with them. He felt bad for Ariel, she'd already been through so much this year and now more things were getting added to that, he really wanted a break to come for Ariel.

"What's going on?" Wade asked walking into his parent's house to see Braxton and Ariel on the couch watching a movie.

"With what's happened, I didn't feel right in sending them to school," Jackie told her youngest. Wade's eyes grew looking at his mom. "I didn't tell them, but I think you should, they need to be told, Wade. They can tell something has happened."

"I know," Wade sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She kicked me out," he told his mom. "Do you know how bad that hurts?" He questioned walking to the living room, turning the TV off as he sat on the coffee table in front of his kids.

"What's wrong? Is mom okay?" Braxton asked. Wade looked between both of them.

"Mom is going to be fine in a day or two," he started out to say.

"What about baby Boyd?" Ariel asked then, sensing that something bad had happened.

"About Boyd," Wade was saying when he was cut off by Ariel.

"Is he with the angels or something?" She questioned.

"Sadly that's where he's at. Something happened that we couldn't control or stop from happening and he went to heaven to live with the angels," he explained.

Braxton got up and stormed outside without saying a single word. Wade got up to go after him but Earl motioned for him to stay and he went after his grandson. Wade sat on the couch next to Ariel whom curled up into his side.

"Losing my baby brother is sad but now he can be truly happy and he's looking over us like daddy Justin is," Ariel said softly. Wade kissed the top of her head. Maybe just maybe she was right about that.

Earl chuckled to himself walking up to his grandson. There wasn't anything funny about the situation they were in at the moment but seeing where it was his grandson had ran to, that made him smile and at times like this they needed a reason to smile and be happy.

"Your daddy always ran here," Earl said announcing his presence at the little creek. Braxton remained quiet, tossing a rock into the water making it land with a splash.

"It's not fair!" Braxton yelled throwing another rock into the water harder this time.

"Of course it's not fair," Earl easily agreed with him. "But that's life for ya, it gives us all these lessons and obstacles to see how we get through them, it makes us who we're meant to be, Brax. This is an unfortunate event but you will all be stronger and closer as a family when you get past it."

"You don't know that," Braxton pointed out his voice rising in anger and sorrow.

"No I don't know that, it could also tear your family apart, but it's how the four of you handle this situation that determines the outcome."

"I hate it," Braxton confirmed what Earl already knew.

"So do I," he told his grandson. "If I could turn back time I would."

Together they sat amongst the trees and the birds that sang what sounded like a sad song to them, forgetting about everything else and letting the reality of the situation set in. With the sun setting lower in the sky they headed back to the house not feeling any better than when they had left. Braxton went straight to the couch and sat next to his father, leaning his head on his shoulder. Wade sat in the middle of his two kids, holding them close while together they mourned the loss of little Boyd.


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm so so so sorry for this little mix up, but I had to rewrite this whole chapter, so it's different but hopefully close enough to what I originally had before. And on a side note I do like this chapter better than what I had before. Enjoy!**

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"Ya know he misses you," Lavon said to Zoe. Wade had asked him to come in and visit with Zoe. He hated knowing that no one was there to be with her. He had to go against his wife's wishes. She needed someone and he was going to make sure she knew that. He wasn't going to let her suffer on her own. "In a sense he's going through the same thing you are. Just let him grieve with you, it's what you both want," he finished saying. He wasn't going to press Zoe into talking to Wade or seeing him. Just give her little hints and slowly push her into admitting that as strong as she wanted to be that she needed her husband.

"I know," she whispered. "I need him and I made a mistake," she admitted, her eyes focused on the ceiling. She regretted sending him out of there the night before hand. "I blame myself for what happened, what's saying he doesn't feel the same way?" She asked, glancing in Lavon's direction. "If I were him I'd blame me."

"Big Z, you can't think like that, you can't go around blaming yourself. It won't do you any good. In order to know how he feels you need to let him in," Lavon told her.

"He's right," came a voice from the door. Zoe looked up to see Jesse standing in the doorway. "He's in the waiting room, thought it would be better if I came in first. He's tore up Zo, let him in, not only will it help him but you as well," Jesse told her moving towards her. "You need each other; this is a hard time for both of you."

"Are my babies here?" Zoe asked ignoring what he told her. It wasn't like she didn't know that, she just didn't want to admit to everyone that she had been wrong.

"They miss their mom and want to see her, but Wade wasn't sure if you would be up to seeing them," Jesse confirmed for her. "I can get them, all three of them if you want me too," he suggested.

"Can you please?" She questioned him. Jesse nodded walking back to the door. "Thank you, Jesse."

"Anything for family, Zo," he retorted opening the door. "Take care Zoe and I'll be seeing you soon," he told her slipping from the room.

Zoe went to sit up, Lavon right there to help her. She gave him a smile. He moved away from the bed, informing her that he was going to go. He didn't want to intrude on the family moment that was going to be taking place. He wished her well, told her he'd check on her later and slipped from the room holding the door open for the family.

Braxton and Ariel were ready to go and see their mom. Ariel more than anxious to see her, Braxton was on the fence about the whole thing. He was more quiet and reserved, nodding or shaking his head when asked questions along with a simple little shrug.

Entering the room Zoe smiled and hugged Ariel first as she had raced to her mom's bed, careful when she reached her mom. Both mother and daughter had let a few tears out, Ariel moved away, sitting on the edge of her mom's hospital bed. Braxton slowly approached her; hugging her as tight he dared to, his head burrowed into her neck. He too didn't move very far away from her once the hug ended.

Zoe held her arms out to a nervous looking Wade who was staying back. He relaxed seeing that Zoe wanted him to be near her. He wasn't sure what to expect once Jesse told them that they were good to go in and see her and that she was asking about them. But to see that his wife needed him, it made me feel better, like he would be able to help her along the way. He didn't like being stuck on the sidelines watching her suffer when there was something he could be doing for her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, holding him close.

"Shh it's okay," he told her. After a long talk with his mom he was starting to understand that it was hard on her and she didn't know how to really cope with it and it was easier to push him away than to let him in. Just because he was coming to understand the whole thing it didn't mean he liked it one bit. "Just don't keep me out," he told her, moving away to brush his lips against hers.

She couldn't promise that to him. This was going to take it's toll on both of them and she didn't know what the healing process had in store for her or for him and she wasn't going to promise something that could so easily be broken.

Wade stepped away from her, his hand staying in hers as he pulled the chair closer to the bed. Sitting in the chair, he kept both his hands on her one. He couldn't wait until she was able to come home.

Ariel filled her mom in how the visit with her grandparents had gone. She was trying to forgive them for the way they had treated her, she was just finding it harder to do so. They had been so mean to her for so long and not just her but her mom as well and she loved her mom and didn't like anyone that was mean to the woman that she looked up too. But she wanted to know more about her biological dad and forgiving her grandparents was the only way she could do that.

Zoe could see that Braxton wasn't being his normal self but with her being in the hospital she let it slide knowing that it couldn't be easy on him. After a while he had joined in saying a few little things here and there, laughing at a few things. He was slowly coming around. She was going to see how he was holding up when she was released from the hospital.

A little over a week later she was released from the hospital. The doctors wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay before sending her home. She was told to take it easy for a while so her body could heal the rest of the way up. Wade had promised that she wouldn't be lifting a finger up once at home. He had already talked to Brick and Harley and they both agreed that they wouldn't let her come in to work until she was 100 percent better if she tried to come back to work before that.

Once at home Wade, Ariel and even Braxton were there on top of her making it hard to breathe without one of them there to ask if she was okay or if she needed anything. She loved her family she did, but she really thought they were going a tad overboard on it all. So the day the kids went to school and Wade went back to work couldn't come fast enough for Zoe. All she wanted was a little peace of mind, she was able to do things for herself and that's all she wanted.

"Wade sent you, huh?" Zoe asked looking up from the cup of tea she was making seeing Jackie enter the kitchen. She should've known that Wade would've sent someone over to keep an eye on her.

"He did, but I get that you just want to do things yourself and that you don't need a babysitter. So I'm just here to keep you company and help you if you need it," Jackie informed her, walking around the kitchen to get what she needed to make herself a cup of tea. "He's worried about you, Zoe," Jackie commented.

"I know he is, but he needs to learn that I can do things myself," Zoe replied, taking a sip of her steaming tea, moving to sit at the kitchen table. "I love him, but these last few days he's been driving my absolutely nuts," Zoe commented. "But I'm more worried about Braxton than I am about Wade. Has he told you anything?" Zoe questioned, blowing on her cup of tea.

"He hasn't," Jackie commented, moving through the kitchen to sit with Zoe at the table. "He hasn't talked to you or Wade?" Jackie asked, stirring her tea. Zoe shook her head.

"I try to get him to open up to me, but he won't. I'm trying to be patient with him, letting him come to me when he's ready," Zoe told her with a soft sigh. She didn't like watching Braxton go through whatever it was on his own. She wanted to hug him and assure him that things were going to be okay if he would only open up to her about the things swirling around in his head.

"He's been through a lot, Zoe, not the first time with dealing with something like this even if he was younger and can't remember much about it, but it's still there in his mind. He'll talk to you when he's ready and I have a feeling that you're going to be the only person he talks to when he's ready," Jackie told her. She wasn't for certain on that fact but if she had to guess it would be that. She could see just how close Braxton had let himself get to Zoe and he should, he really thought of Zoe as his mom and it was only right. Whatever Braxton was going through it had something to do with Aggie and with Zoe and he was only going to feel comfortable enough to talk to Zoe about it, at least that's what Jackie thought.

Zoe nodded and drank her tea in silence letting her thoughts carry her away to maybe figure out just what was going on with Braxton.


	13. Chapter 13

**So with my wonderful luck today, I made a small edit in chapter 12 and I exchanged it with the wrong chapter and I stupidly deleted chapter 12 for this story thinking it was safe to do so. I finished the rewrite and like I had said, it doesn't change what happened in this chapter, but it's different than what I previously had before and I do suggest you go back and reread chapter 12. I'm sorry for all the confusion. Enjoy!**

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"I just don't think it's such a good idea," Wade was in the process of saying. As of late it was like he couldn't say anything without it turning into some kind of an argument that would only escalate into a fight. "I never once said you shouldn't go or that you couldn't go just that it was a bad idea," he stressed, making Zoe stop packing her suitcase glaring at him.

"I don't see what the big deal is, Ariel is going to be there, your mom is going to be there, it's not like you're going to be home this weekend to begin with," Zoe pointed out, sitting on the edge of the bed. "So it's only okay for you and Braxton to go on a fishing trip with Earl?" She questioned him annoyed.

"Stop putting words in my damn mouth," he demanded some of his anger seeping out. "I wasn't the one that went through hell last month, you were. I don't want you to rush into doing too much too soon," he stressed, wanting her to see his point. He wasn't locking her up, just wanted her to be careful and not over do it. He had every reason to worry about his wife.

"It's a relaxing spa getaway; nothing is going to happen…" she was in the process of telling him in a very calm matter.

"You don't know that," he yelled, throwing his hands in the air, cutting her off. "I can't lose you, Zo," he pleaded, moving to sit next to her, cupping her cheeks, his thumb gently stroking her soft skin. Zoe placed her hands on his.

"I love you, Wade," she whispered. "Things happen every day and we can't stop them. I'm not going to let the possibility that something might happen stop me from doing anything," she told him definitely

"I love you, Zoe. So why don't we let Braxton go on the fishing trip and Ariel can go on the Spa retreat and we can do some reconnecting of our own," he smirked, leaning forward to kiss her forehead first then proceeding to kiss her nose and letting his lips brush against hers. "I can give you breakfast in bed and a full on body massage," he husked, letting his hands run down her body.

"You know that does sound promising but I hate canceling on our kids," she sighed with a cute little pout.

"Lucky for you, I don't mind," he winked, pulling her face up, his lips slanting over hers.

"Wade, be nice," she warned. Wade chuckled and exited the bedroom.

"Is mom ready?" Ariel asked impatiently. She had been looking forward to spending some quality time with her mom.

Wade was finding it hard to answer that question, it was easy to let himself get carried away while he was with Zoe, but to cancel on their kids seemed to be a little on the mean side of the scale and he didn't have the heart to do that, not when he could tell just how much Ariel wanted this time with her. "She's almost ready, princess," he informed her. He had went to walk back to the bed room to inform Zoe that he didn't have the heart to do it when Zoe appeared before them, suitcase in hand. She gave him a knowing smile, kissed him letting herself melt into him.

"I had a feeling," she whispered against his ear hugging him.

"Harder than it seemed," he mumbled, holding her close not ready to let her go just yet. Zoe giggled, letting her lips brush against his as she pulled away from him and his extra tight hug.

"Can we go now?" Ariel asked with an impatient sigh, walking outside to where Jackie was waiting.

"That's my cue to go," she told him.

Wade chuckled softly, grabbing her suitcase and carrying it outside for her. Zoe went through a mental checklist to make sure that she had everything that she was going to need, grabbing her purse on her way to the door. Satisfied that she had everything that she could of, she walked outside, shutting the door behind her.

"About time," Braxton said from his position of leaning against the side of the pick up arms crossed over his chest. "Thought we were gonna have to leave ya behind," he said seriously.

"Why didn't you?" Wade asked in a joking tone.

"Grandpa wouldn't listen to me," he mumbled. Wade chuckled, kissed Zoe once more, informing her to be careful and if anything happens to call him. She had rolled her eyes but assured him that she would if anything did happen.

"You and Wade seem to be doing good," Jackie commented on the drive to the spa.

"We have our days," Zoe told her. "A lot of the time I just want to push him away. We fight more now than we ever had," she sighed.

"That's to be expected, you went through a very dramatic thing," Jackie responded with. She was actually shocked to learn about her son and Zoe fighting so much, according to her grandkids things seemed to be good in the house. They had never mentioned their parents fighting. She understood that they kept the fighting away from the kids, not wanting the kids to be put in the middle. "You want to do things on your own…"

"But he's always there hovering like I'm not capable of doing anything for myself. I get that he worries and he wants to help, but I'm more than okay to do things myself," she ranted.

Ariel sat in the back seat playing on her mom's phone when a text had came through from dad's phone. She had been scared to look at it thinking it was something gross from her dad but when she took a peek she relaxed. **'It's Brax, you there Ariel?'** The message read. _'I'm here, wut's going on?'_ She quickly texted back to him, she really wanted a phone of her own, but they wouldn't get her or Braxton one until they were in the 6th grade. She found that idea stupid when most of her friends had their own phones. **'Dad's talkin'; I think we should do somethin' for them, u in?'**

Braxton had been setting in the back of the pick up truck bored out of his mind. He had to leave all of his electronics home so they wouldn't get ruined and he didn't mind leaving them at home, it was just the nearly 2 hour drive to where they were going he dreaded. So like any other kid his age, he swiped his dad's phone. He was really shocked when he heard his dad start to go on about fighting and arguing with Zoe. Not wanting anything to happen to his parents, he had came up with a plan and he had to let Ariel in on it and get her to help him out, there was no way he could pull off what he had in mind. _'Mom's talking as well, heck yes!'_ Came her reply, followed closely by, _'Wut's the plan?'_ Braxton snorted, his fingers moving over the phone screen to reply back to his sister. **'Explain when we get home ;)'**

"Is there something funny back there?" Wade asked, turning to look at him.

"Nope," Braxton replied, quickly deleting the messages. "Just talking to Ariel," he informed his dad, letting Ariel know that he had to go. It was only seconds later when Ariel texted back telling him the same thing.

"She say anything about how mom is doing?" Wade asked, taking back his phone, when Braxton handed it to him. Braxton shook his head.

"Son, I think you should let her have just a little bit of space this weekend. She needs time to herself where you're not on her," Earl told him. "I worry about your Ma too, so I know where ya are comin' from, but sometimes ya gotta let them think they're doing things themselves only you're there to help," he chuckled. "They don't know the difference."

"How do I do that Pops?" Wade asked, shaking his head. That seemed to be harder than just helping her out.

"That you'll figure it out on your own, you always do," Earl chuckled.

Wade shook his head, letting himself get lost in his thoughts on trying to find a way to subtly help Zoe out without her knowing that he was even doing it. That just seemed way to hard, impossible even. It seemed easier to take a step back and wait for her to ask for help but with how stubborn she is, he didn't think that was a very good idea either. He got that he was smothering her but he couldn't help it, he couldn't take her being in pain or lying in the hospital when he could do something to stop it from ever happening.

Small talk was made as they finished their drive to the little lake they would be at for the next few days. Everyone did their part in getting camp set up, tents went up, and a fire pit had been made. Grabbing their fishing poles they headed down to the dock to get a few minutes of fishing in before night fall. As they sat on the dock, all talk had been kept to a minimum and Wade wondered how his wife, mom and daughter were coming along.

As for Zoe, Jackie and Ariel, they got to the spa and were taken to their hotel room. From there they decided to go get a Pedi, Ariel picking out different colors for each of them before they went and got dinner. After dinner they were going to watch a movie of Ariel's pick in the room and call it a night and tomorrow morning after breakfast they would explore a little more with getting massages at some point in the day.


	14. Chapter 14

Zoe was getting her things put away when Braxton walked into the bedroom. Wade and Braxton had been home roughly an hour before Zoe and Ariel had gotten home. The guys had called it in a bit earlier than they had wanted to when it started to rain on them. They saw no use in sticking around to wait it out when they could use that time on the road and they just didn't think that rain was going to let up anytime soon. Heading home was the right choice for them.

"Can I have a word?" Braxton asked, nervously sitting on the bed. Zoe stopped what she was doing, moving the now empty suitcase to the floor to sit next to Braxton.

"Of course you can, Brax. What's going on?" Zoe asked, giving him her full attention.

"I'm not going to lose you, am I?" He asked, looking down, swinging his feet back and forth. Zoe frowned looking at him. She was waiting for him to elaborate more but nothing more had come from him.

"That's not going to happen, sweetie. What makes you think that you would lose me?" She asked, placing a comforting hand on his back.

"It's happened before," he said quietly but Zoe had heard him. Things were slowly starting to click in her head on what was really bothering Braxton and she wanted to take the pain and hurt away from him.

"With your Mom?" She asked softly. Braxton nodded his head, sniffling a little. Zoe pulled him in for a warm hug, holding him as tight as she dared too. "Braxton you need to know that I'm not going anywhere. I'm sad that I lost the baby, but with you, Ariel and your dad, we can all make it through this together." She was finding it hard to find the right words to use without making his mom look like she had been in the wrong and didn't want them to be around. That wasn't the picture she wanted to paint for Braxton even if it was the truth. She couldn't change the picture that Braxton had in his mind of his mom for her actions on that once. "Just because this thing happened before doesn't mean it's the same situation. Things are different now."

"But you guys fight, even though you try not to let us know about it, we still hear you guys," Braxton informed her. Zoe nodded her head. Parents that fought had an affect on the kids that was something she knew first hand. "Plus dad was telling grandpa about it." Zoe sighed to herself and started to wonder if Ariel had overheard her talking to Jackie.

"I'm sorry about that, but fighting is natural," she told him. "But that isn't going to make either one of us leave. We're a family Braxton and we need each other to lean on." She was trying so hard to keep the whole talk as far away from Aggie as she could.

"But they fought all the time and she left us," Braxton told her a hint of anger mixed in with hurt showing through, letting Zoe know there was no way around talking about Aggie.

"That's because she thought it was best by leaving giving you guys the chance to recover without her around because she didn't want you or your dad to be hurt. She was only trying to protect you guys," Zoe told him trying to be understanding on where he was coming from. "But with us sticking together like the family we are, together we can make it through this with the strength we give each other, okay?" She asked him.

Braxton nodded his head in understanding. He felt better now that he had talked to Zoe about it all. He hated to think so little of Zoe but if his mom was able to walk away from them, it was only going to be easier for Zoe to do the same thing and then not only would he be losing a mom but a sister as well and that was going to hurt a lot. He didn't want them to leave, he liked having them around.

 **Meanwhile...**

Ariel was sitting on the couch when she saw Braxton signal that he was going in. Putting away her notebook she went to the garage where Wade was at.

"What are you doing?" She asked, seeing him sitting in a chair staring at the car they had yet to finish remodeling. She had missed working on it, but it was hard to do anything with the car as of late with everything going on around them.

"Nothing," he told her. He had actually came out to the garage to get pliers and a wrench he needed to fix the shower in the upstairs bathroom, he was tired of it dripping water for nearly 20 minutes after someone had taken a shower. "What brings you out here?" Wade asked, looking at his daughter.

"Nothing really," Ariel told him looking down at the cement floor. Wade raised an eyebrow; he could that something was going on with her.

"Did ya have fun this weekend?" He asked, waiting to see if she would bring up whatever was bugging her on her own.

"Uh-huh," she told him. She hadn't minded staying in a little group with other kids her age when her mom and grandma went off for the massages. It had given her a chance to figure out what it was she wanted to add to the plan that Braxton had came up with.

"Is that all you have to say?" Wade asked with a soft chuckle on how hard she was trying not to say anymore. He could see that she wanted to say something else she was just making herself hold it back.

"No," she said shaking her head. "Mom was talking to grandma in the car and did you know that you're not very quiet when you yell?" Ariel questioned him.

"Is that so?" Wade asked taking a deep breath. Ariel nodded her head. "You know I don't mean anything by it when I yell, right?" He asked her. Ariel shrugged her shoulders. "I love your mom and I love you and I love Braxton, and just because I yell doesn't mean any different, I'm just getting frustrated and want your mom to see things the way I see them and she's trying to do the same thing, is all," he told her.

"Mom says when you guys fight, it's helping make things better between you guys and making you guys closer," Ariel commented. Wade nodded his head.

"She's right about that," Wade told her. He hated that even though they had tried their hardest from letting the kids know that they were fighting that they still heard it. When he fought with Aggie, Braxton was too little to know just what was going and he wasn't able to see it tear him apart like his fighting with Zoe had done for Ariel and Braxton. Their fights were affecting all of them.

"So we're going to be a family for a long time?" Ariel asked then.

"We're going to be a family forever," Wade assured her. Ariel smiled and skipped from the room.

Wade followed suit seeing his son and Zoe exit the bedroom. He placed his tools on the kitchen counter when he noticed that Braxton and Ariel were up to something.

"You guys should go for a walk," Braxton commented.

"We should?" Wade asked with an amused smile on his face. Ariel nodded her head. "Is there a reason you want us out of the house?"

"No reason at all," Ariel told them.

"Is that so?" Zoe asked, walking over to Wade, taking his hand in hers. "I do think they're right," Zoe agreed.

"Whatever you two are up to, we'll figure it out," Wade warned, leading Zoe through the kitchen and living room to the front door.

Wade had his arm warped around Zoe, holding her as they walked down the street. They both were enjoying this little time where it was just them and they could let everything else go for just a moment. It didn't last long when they had two kids that were clearly up to something. They were trying to figure out just what their kids were up too. They had kept them occupied and mostly out of sight to see what else was going on around their house and then they basically kicked them out in one of the most polite ways they could have done so.

"What is this?" Zoe asked when they returned home, after they had decided they were gong long enough. They walked around the house to enter through the back door to see that kitchen table and been transformed to look like a table right out of a 5 star restaurant, the lights on dim giving off a very romantic feel to their kitchen.

"We wanted to do something special for our parents," Ariel commented. "Ya know to show ya that we love you both very much."

"We appreciate what you guys do for us and we want to return the favor," Braxton added on.

"Thank you," Wade told them, as they shared a hug between the four of them.

"That's our cue to come get our grandbabies," Earl announced entering the room.

Jackie informed them that dinner was ready and to have a wonderful night and that they should just let everything go for the night and enjoy this time together. Wade and Zoe promised that they would do just that.

With them gone, Wade pulled out Zoe's chair, poured her something to drink and went and got the food from the oven to serve both of them.

They ate their delicious dinner talking and laughing. They were really enjoying each others company, they really were treating their dinner like a date they hadn't had the time for in quite some time. It was then that they realized they really needed to make more time for just them.

"It was really sweet of them to do this for us," Zoe commented taking a sip of her sparkling apple juice. "I should've known better, but I really thought she had been listening to music, her headphones were on and she was messing around on my phone," she went on to say. "And I really didn't know that we were being that loud when they should've been asleep."

"I know," Wade told her. "I can never get through to Brax when he's playing games, so I had thought it was fine," Wade sighed. "I like what they did, I just hate that after we tried so hard to keep them from it, we pretty much told them right out," he told her.

"I know what you mean," Zoe commented. "But we can change it tonight Wade. Dinner was lovely and it is us here alone," Zoe told him seductively.

"Now that is something I can do," he winked, pulling Zoe with him to the bedroom. He was going to take his time and get reacquainted with his wife.


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm sorry for not updating this story earlier, but I was having trouble with this chapter and I still can't get Wade or Zoe to do as I want or need them to do. Anyway enjoy this chapter.**

 **I know I sound like a broken record about this but if you haven't voted in the poll on my profile page, you should do that once you've finished reading and reviewing this chapter. Please and thank you :)**

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"Wade, as fun as this was," Zoe told him, a light blush painting her cheeks a pink color, grabbed his shirt from where it lay on the floor next to her. "We need to talk," she told him her voice taking a more serious tone to it.

"I know," he responded sitting up in bed. "I…" he sighed trailing off, he thoughts nothing more than a jumbled mess he couldn't straighten out. Zoe remained quiet waiting to see if he'd say more.

"You what Wade?" She asked not able to take the silence any longer. "Blame yourself? Feel like hell because you couldn't stop it? Feel like your world is falling apart?" She asked on the verge of tears. "Feel as if you've lost everything all at the same time? That no matter what you do or what you say is nothing but a lie?"

"So what you told Braxton was a lie?" He asked quickly losing his temper.

"That's not what I meant," she told him quickly. "I was being absolutely honest with him."

"You're miserable and it's like you can't do anything to get out of this black hole you've been pushed into?" He questioned her.

"How'd you know?" She asked him softly.

"Because at times I feel like that, Zoe," he told her with a shrug. "It's not your fault, Zo," he told her, turning to face her, his hand reaching out for hers. "There was nothing you or anyone could have done to stop it. And hell Zoe you're not in this alone," he told her his voice growing louder. "Everyday it feels like I've lost something important but I look around and see my family and know that I've still got a lot in my life," he told her his tone soft and caring. "I get this hard, it sure in the hell isn't any easier this time around," he was in the process of saying when his wife cut him off. The first time was different than this time and he still didn't know to deal with it and he was trying to deal with this one different than the last.

"That's the thing Wade, you've been through this before, and I haven't. Not only do I have to reassure you that nothing is going to happen with us but Braxton as well. I can see it written on your face when you're thinking and you don't think anyone is watching you, you have this fear that I'm going to do what Aggie did, that I can't handle this. And maybe I can't but I know that I can't do this alone, I need your support to help get through this, not you thinking that at any moment I'm going to be gone," she blamed him, looking down to where their hands were connected between them. "You keep thinking that and I'll be gone," she whispered loud enough for him to hear.

"I think that because you keep pushing me away and not letting me in Zoe. What else am I supposed to think?" He asked, his anger slowly rising within him. "This whole situation sucks and I would have loved to be able to watch our son grown up and to avoid this reality all together, but we can't change what happened just try to move past it one day at a time. And I would like to think that together we can do that. Why can't you let me in Zoe?" He asked her. He was trying so hard to reason with her because he didn't want to fight yet again about anything.

"Because I'm scared, afraid," she told him. "Pushing you away is easier than dealing with your pain on top of mine," she confessed. "Keeping you away makes dealing with this easier to extant," she tacked on. "I hate it all of it, I don't like pushing you away, I hate this feeling that everything is going to end so what's the point? I feel myself getting pulled further into this depression that I don't want to set in but I can't fight it off anymore Wade. I hate feeling like I did everything wrong and that I'm the one to blame," she told him in a rush, pulling her hand free from his. "Worst of all I hate feeling like I'm not good enough because I wasn't able to give you another baby," she whispered.

"First off Zoe, I don't care about having another baby; I have everything I need in my life, right here with me. You and the kids that's what I want and need in my life. Having another baby would be nice but we can manage without," he told her his voice filled with promise that it would be okay. "By pushing me away and not letting me in it's not easier Zoe, it's hard and it hurts because all I want is to be there for you because I can see how it tears you up and I feel pretty useless that I can't help you because you won't let me," he confessed taking a deep breath. "And nothing is going to end, Zo, not if we fight for what we want. You are not to blame for this, it happens and we need to find away to cope with that. I can never understand how you feel because I didn't go through everything you went through, but you have to know that you did things right," he told her, moving around the bed so she was looking at him. "I don't ever want you to feel like you're not good enough for me, you're more than enough, sometimes I have to wonder what it was I did to deserve you," he told her softly, reaching up to wipe away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"I try to let you in," she told him, letting her eyes close shut. "But then I stop because I can't just hand over this rough spot of bitter and this depressed black glob I have sitting in me. This hate I feel, I can't burden that on you because I love you. I try so damn hard to stay positive and happy but with each passing second its hard Wade. I can't pretend anymore," she told him, her fingers digging into the flesh on his arms.

"You don't have to pretend, it's okay to be sad and upset with what happened, Zoe. Take the time you need," he spoke softly. "Let yourself grieve."

"I can't," she told him, breaking down in his embrace. Wade held her, closing his eyes as he gave her the comfort she so desperately needed.

"Yes you can," he encouraged her. "The kids and I can handle ourselves while you deal with this," he promised her. She shook her head against his chest. That wasn't what she had meant. She didn't know how to even start to get over this, at first pretending seemed to help but she could see that it was only making matters worse. "Baby, there's support groups and a therapist you can talk to," Wade told her, pulling away slightly to look her in the eyes, his hands cupping her face. He could see the questions swimming in her brown eyes. "I've done my fair share of research to help you," he honestly told her.

"Thank you," she whispered, pressing her lips against his lightly.

"Zoe, you need to know I'm sorry for not saying something sooner, I'm sorry for thinking that just because you were pushing me away that things would slowly get better with time," he was in the process of telling her, he could see that things were only getting worse and he knew it was going to happen but he didn't know how to address it with Zoe and that's why they fought, but he couldn't do that anymore, he wanted things to be back to normal with them. "And I'm sorry that we're going through this," he told her, placing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "And I'm here for you always and forever, no place else I'd want to be then here for you in anyway that you need me," he informed her.

"I know," she told him with a faint hint of a smile. "I'm sorry as well for everything," she sighed, letting her head fall to rest on his shoulder. "Thank you for everything, Wade."

"You've already said thank you," he smirked, laying his head against hers. Zoe rolled her eyes.

Things may be far from being as good as they once were they were at least making a start on getting things back to that place. Zoe was happy that she had such an amazing and thoughtful husband as she had with Wade. She didn't even want to think how far gone she would be without him in her corner. He was there no matter what she did, the more she had pushed the harder he tried to break through the wall she was putting up. He knew when to back off but he never went far and for that she was grateful for. Life seemed to be that much easier with Wade next to her.


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm sorry if this chapter seems a bit on the heavy, that wasn't my attention at all. I had over half of this wrote before I realized that parts weren't going to work with what I had previously written so I had to do some editing, I'm sorry if things don't make a lot of sense, I tried to clear it up and explain it as the best I could. If you still have questions about it or anything, please don't hesitate to ask and I'll happily answer any and all questions. Enjoy!**

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It was a few months later and therapy for Zoe was going really good, not only was she doing sessions with just her but they had decided that together it would be beneficial for them if Wade joined in. Together they learnt just how badly the other one was hurting. As hard as it was to deal with not only the emotional but the physical aspect as well they were learning to cope and handle everything the best they could as long as they kept letting the other person in and not closing up.

"You have to know that I would never push you into anything to make you feel uncomfortable," Wade told her with a pause, taking her hand in his. "Being with you is all I need, as corny as it sounds I'm more than okay with cuddling. You are my wife; you're my heart and soul, Zo. This doesn't change that. I'm ready when you're ready, okay?" He questioned, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. He wanted her to feel loved because she was. She was important to him and nothing was ever going to change that, he couldn't even think of the possibility of leaving her, there was so much more to her that he loved and sex wasn't a factor in any of the reasons on why he was completely head over ass in love with her.

"I hear you and somewhere inside of me, I know that, but I think about it and I have a hard time trying to make myself believe it. I want too so bad, but I'm scared and afraid of so many things," she told him, glancing down utterly ashamed with the way she felt. She knew that he wasn't going to hurt her and he would do whatever it took to make her feel safe, loved and comfortable. But it wasn't the sex she was afraid of considering she had already had sex with her husband, but it was after that she felt sick, like she was going to be suffering the same fate if she did fall pregnant again, the idea of being pregnant was a dangerous place for her to think about let alone it ever happening and that was something she knew in her heart she wasn't ready for, didn't know if she'd ever be ready for that. "It's not about being intimate again Wade, it's the fact that it could lead to something that I had wanted and I'm not at the point to where I want to be pregnant again, if ever," she told him, her voice dropping to a whisper as she spoke to him.

"You, Braxton and Ariel are the only three people I need in my life," he told her sincerely, his undying love a heavy undertone in his words, it was hard not to believe him. "Being scared and afraid is okay, because truthfully so I am, Zoe, so much," he confessed. When he first started out he was terrified of being a father but it was easy the more time he spent with his son and learnt. He was scared out of his mind when he had gone from being married to being a widow and a single father. But it got easier and this too was going to get easier, that much he knew. Going through one miscarriage was hard, but going through two with two very different women was hard and it scared him. He didn't want to go through it again and he knew in his whole heart that Zoe wouldn't leave him, but just the simple idea of it happening made him scared, afraid that he was going to lose the family he loved dearly and that would be harder than losing one little baby. "Not until you're ready and 200 percent certain it's something that not only you want but can handle," he assured her.

"Wade," she told him softly, reaching up with her free hand cupping his cheek. Wade nuzzled her hand, his eyes closing as the love he felt from that one touch warmed him inside out. "Thank you," she told him simply. "But you need to know that I'm not going anywhere, I couldn't cope if I did leave. All the support and love I need is right here with you," she confirmed letting the small voice in his head vanish a little more. "You Wade Kinsella are my rock in life in more than one way," she smiled, letting her lips inch closer to press against his in a sweet and love filled kiss. No one in her life had ever been there as much as Wade had the day he entered her life.

Wade pulled her closer, his tongue running along her bottom lip as he thought that sometimes you don't need someone else in the room to address the fears you had, to force you to talk about something that you didn't think you could, sometimes you needed to express yourself when it was just you and your spouse and that was something they were learning was okay to do. Expressing their feelings had been one of the things they did with a fight every now and again and when they had to, but they were learning that it was okay to do so before the thoughts and fears in their heads boiled over creating even more damage than they would have to start with. Leaning on each other had been something they did, but they had learnt that it was something they weren't doing fully and they were trying to fix that in every way possible.

"We're happy that you guys are being all in love again," Ariel stated walking into the room with Braxton. "But must you do it where we all have to witness it?" She asked. Seeing her parents happy, made her happy, she just didn't want to keep walking in on them when all she wanted to do was sit in the living room and watch a show while she worked on her school project.

"We don't have too," Wade commented with a smile. "But we can do as we please, we are the parents," he laughed.

"Could you maybe for our benefit?" Braxton asked, tossing his bag on the floor by his feet when he plopped down in the open chair.

"I'm not sure we can promise that," Zoe replied, resting her head against her husband's chest. "But we can try," she told them. She could feel Wade nodded his head in agreement before his lips were pressed against the top of her head.

They sat in silence watching as their kids started to do some of the homework they had. Seeing that they were both paying more attention in space than on the work that was in front of them, Wade spoke up. "Can you guys take a break from your work or maybe come to earth after zoning out?" He asked with a soft chuckle. Both kids turned to look at their parents. "We need to talk and it's important," he informed them seriously.

"About?" Ariel asked worry in her eyes.

"Everything is okay right?" Braxton asked, his eyes dancing from one adult to the other in a frenzy.

"Yes everything is okay," Zoe told them, getting both kids to relax. "We just think with how hard and heavy this has been on all of us that you guys should talk to someone, help you deal with the emotions surging through you," she explained softly.

"You don't have to do it alone, we could do it as a family therapy session," Wade added on to what his wife had told them. "We can see that this whole ordeal has had its toll on both of you and you have to know that you're not doing this alone, that you have us and together we have each other as a family," he explained.

"Okay," Braxton agreed. Going through this before he couldn't remember much other than he had lost his mom and what now he understands was a brother or a sister. He may have been too young to remember before but he knew that it tore his family apart and he didn't want that to happen again. He finally had a family and he wanted to keep it that way. He'd gladly go talk to someone that wasn't going to judge him on what he was feeling, if that meant he was going to be keeping his family.

"It did help me when I needed to get over everything when it came to my bio dad," Ariel said, chewing her lip. She knew that she hurt, that her mom hurt and everyone that was close to her hurt because of this. She couldn't wrap her little mind around why it happened to them, she just knew that it hurt. And if there was anyone out there that could take that pain away and answer those questions on why it happened and she was able to keep the family she couldn't stand to lose, so had to agree to that, it would be silly if she didn't. "I think it would do us some good," she told her parents, going back to the project sitting in front of her.


	17. Chapter 17

**The good news is I have most of the next chapter already wrote out so I should have that up within a day or two. Remember to vote in the poll on my page if you haven't yet. Thank you to everyone that's still hanging in with this story and thank you to anyone that has just started to read this one. Enjoy!**

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Zoe was feeling nervous as they waited to be called in for their family therapy session. It had taken them a few days to find the right therapist for them and once they had they made an appointment right away. She laid her head on Wade's shoulder always feeling a lot calmer when she was wrapped up in his embrace. He wasted no time in wrapping an arm around her, holding her against him the best he could with the arms of the chair between them. He kissed her head, whispering that everything was going to be just fine. She smiled taking a much needed deep breath.

Being called into the office, they had taken a seat on the couch, Zoe's hand firmly in Wade's. Introduction's had been made. "What brings you to therapy today?" Dr. Oliphant asked pen and paper ready. Zoe was the one to explain what was going on and that they thought that a family session would be for the best. The doctor nodded her head, writing things down as Zoe went on to explain the situation to her. "When did this happen? How long ago?" She asked.

"Around three and half months ago now," Wade told her, squeezing Zoe's hand. She nodded her headed scribbling some notes down.

"Has it had a chance to tear your marriage apart?" She asked. "You're family?"

"Not our family but it has put a lot of strain on our marriage; we tried to keep a united front for the kids," Zoe said. "It was easier to pretend that things were good for their benefit." Another nodded from the doctor.

"We thought we could get through it without anyone else helping us and we wrong about that. We didn't know what to do and that was part of the problem," Wade added on.

"Braxton, Ariel, what do you feel about that? How did it make you feel?"

They shared a look with each other. "It was hard, we heard them fighting but we didn't know what we could say or do to make it stop. We know that sometimes people fight, its life," Ariel started to say.

"We hated it but like Ariel said we didn't know what we could really do about it. We had to wait for them to see that what they were doing was getting to us too. I know how big this whole thing is, I've been through it before when I was too young to know what was going on and I was sad because I really wanted to have a little brother to hang out with, but on the other hand, I'm happy that I still have my family. I don't want anything to happen to my dad, my mom or even my sister," he told them.

"I feel the same way," Ariel piped up. "As long as I have these three people in my life I know everything is going to be okay. I feel bad that I feel like that, that I don't have this big connection with the brother I had lost, but I didn't know him," she told everyone being honest.

"That's something you don't have to feel guilty about. You know your parents and brother better than you did your little brother. You weren't given that chance to build any kind of connection with him yet. It's normal to feel like that," Dr. Oliphant told them. "Hearing that, how does that make you feel?" She asked looking over at Wade and Zoe.

"A mix of emotions," Zoe said. "I'm happy that they love us that much but bad that they weren't given the chance the way we were to have any kind of connection with their brother. I get that it can't be helped, but I feel like there was something we could have done."

"I agree with Zoe," Wade said, taking over. "We were able to bond and create a connection right from the start because it was our child, but at the same time I feel like we could have done more," he sighed.

"But there wasn't and you can't do anything about that," the doctor told them. "This whole thing is hard to cope with for everyone, but together you can get over it. Be the family you once were and just have fun together and be carefree for a day or two. It never hurts to spend a day thinking about the what ifs when it comes to the little boy you lost, let yourselves as a family create this life you would've had, dreaming isn't a bad thing. Close your eyes and picture your family with that little boy and tell me what it is you see," she instructed them.

 _The sun was sitting high up in the sky as Wade and Zoe sat on a blanket in their backyard. Braxton and Ariel were running around the yard, a year and half old Boyd chasing after them. The day had been too nice of a day to waste inside after the last week they had with rainy weather. Keeping all three of the kids inside was slowly driving the parents crazy and since it was summer they couldn't even get a break during the weekdays. They each took turns when it came to work and staying home, they made sure their schedules matched up to where one could be home while the other one worked._

 _"This is nice," Wade commented, resting his chin on the top of his wife's head._

 _"It really is," she agreed, leaning back into his embrace from the spot between his legs, his arms wrapped around her._

 _They laughed as little Boyd, ran up to them and jump the best his little legs would let him onto his parents, Zoe catching him. She kissed his nose, calling him a silly little boy. Wade got up, taking the little boy from his wife and pretended the boy was an airplane flying around the yard chasing after Ariel and Braxton, who put their arms out and pretend to be airplanes as well. Zoe leaned back in her spot and laughed as Wade climbed up the five little steps to the slide and slid down with a laughing toddler in his arms._

 _"Mom come join us," Braxton yelled. Zoe shook her head but found herself getting up to join in with her family. Wade flew Boyd over Zoe's head and she reached up and started to tickle the little boy causing even more giggles. Soon enough Wade was able to escape. Zoe grabbed Ariel and started to tickle her, earning laughs from her daughter. Braxton was right there to save his sister when he started to tickle his mom, causing Zoe to fall to the ground in a fit of laughter. Boyd started to wiggle in Wade's arm wanting down. Wade set him down laughing when he ran to his brother and started to tickle him. Not wanting to be left out he ran up and started to tickle all four of them._

 _They laid on the ground in a heap smiles on their faces a few small laughs escaping every now and again as Boyd sat on his dad's chest bouncing and clapping his hands to do it again. Catching his breath Wade was on his feet his son in his arm as he made airplane sounds._

 _"Can we have the squirt guns now?" Ariel asked._

 _"As long as you don't spray your little brother," Zoe told them, getting to her own feet, missing the look that Braxton and Ariel shared._

 _A few minutes later Zoe shrieked running when she was hit with cold water in the back as the rest of her family laughed at her. "You want to play like that, huh?" She questioned rushing over to grab the hose and spray the two oldest kids along with Wade. Boyd was playing in the sand box curious about the sand more than what was going on around him._

 _"You're going to pay for that," Wade told her with a smirk, fighting Zoe for the hose. She fought back but Wade being stronger than she was came out with the hose and sprayed her. Laughing Zoe ran to her youngest and picked him, not caring that his sand was going to mix with the water she was drenched in. "You can't use him as a shield, Zo," Wade laughed shaking his head, quickly spraying the other two kids._

 _"I can do as I please, I am his mother and he's going to protect me," she stated with a smile._

 _"You sure about that, babe?" Wade smirked, turning the hose to a mist and spraying his wife and son. Zoe laughed watching as Boyd wanted to cry before he burst out into a fit of giggles, his little palm hitting Zoe's wet shoulder._

"You can always share the life you had imagined with each other from time to time, but you can't make it an everyday thing because that wouldn't be healthy for anyone." Zoe nodded her head on her husband's shoulder. She had never thought about letting herself imagine a life they could've had with Boyd and it had really helped her out, as long as she didn't let herself do it all the time. But this once was nice.


	18. Chapter 18

**This chapter skips a bit of time, between the last chapter and this one it seemed right and I couldn't find anything that would change the story that needed to be added in. I really do hope things flow in this chapter, if not I'm sorry in advance for that.**

 **Remember if you haven't yet head on over to my page and vote in the poll.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

With therapy things with the family had pretty much gone back to normal with time. They had actually gotten back to what had brought them together to begin with. They spent more time trying to find things for them to do as a family and enjoyed each day because they knew that something, that anything could happen to change the dynamic they had.

Wade and Zoe had talked about having another baby or the idea of it and she still wasn't sure where she stood on the front of wanting to have another baby. She wanted to she did, but she couldn't go through everything she had if she happened to lose that baby as well and she knew it did her no good to think like that, that she needed to be positive and with time she'd be able to decide.

It was actually something that had been on her mind every month. She'd talk to her dad and she'd talk to Jackie about it and they both tried to understand where it was she was coming from but Harley couldn't fully understand, not in the way Jackie had tried to understand. It was just different with Jackie. Zoe was actually able to have Jackie and even Harley indulge in what they thought their life would be like if Boyd would've made it. It always put a smile on Zoe's face when they all pictured it a happy time, but like she had promised herself, she wouldn't do it every day or even every month. It was on a very rare occasion that she would let her mind go down that path. The day she had learned she was pregnant with him and the day they had lost him. Twice a year was more than enough because she knew that she really had to focus on Ariel and Braxton.

It had taken her a few months before she was ready to fully commit to being ready to try again. She had given herself enough time to come to terms with everything and for her to feel like she wasn't trying to replace the little boy they had lost.

Instead of actually sitting down to talk to Wade about being ready for him to only turn around and ask her if this was something she was sure of, she was going to show him that she was more than sure that she wanted to try again, that it no longer hurt and she couldn't keep holding herself back if they wanted another baby because they were getting older and soon enough they wouldn't be able to have any kids and she knew that was something she didn't want to happen. So she had sent to the kids off with Jesse for the night and lit a few candle around their bedroom and laid in the middle of their bed with one of his shirts on, waiting for him to return home from work.

"Baby you home?" Wade called out walking into his dark house. He frowned hearing nothing. "Doc, baby, you here?" He called walking further through the house. He had saw Jesse and his kids at the Rammer Jammer when they informed him they were spending the night with Jesse. Wade was just happy that it was a Friday night and he didn't have to worry about them making it to school. "What are you doing?" He asked with a smirk, standing in the doorway, his eyes raking over his wife, his mouth watering at the sight that lay in front of him.

"I've given it a lot of thought and even more time and I'm ready and I'm more than sure about this, Wade," she told him softly. "I want to have a baby with you."

That was all he needed to know. He could see that it was something that she meant. He didn't need to ask her a bunch of questions. He had been very upfront since day one that he would wait for her to be ready and that he wouldn't push her. He wanted to have another baby with Zoe but he wasn't going to push her into something that she wasn't ready for. But now that she was, he had other ideas. He quickly stripped his shirt off, pinning his wife on the bed. "Then we'll try and Zo, we're going to let this happen and not go crazy about becoming pregnant, okay?" He asked, letting his lips leave a trail of fire across her neck.

"Okay," she moaned out.

* * *

As frustrating as it was she hadn't fallen pregnant again as fast as she thought it would happen. Not wanting to get too focused on it she spent more time at the practice and more time doing things with Ariel and Braxton. She had time with Wade when they would do nothing more than just cuddle. She loved family time she did; she just really wished that she could add another child into the mix. She kept telling herself that it would happen; she just had to give it time.

"You're going to drive yourself crazy," AB said, taking a seat in Zoe's office.

"Why's that?" Zoe asked, dropping the pen in her hand. She really couldn't wait to hear Annabeth out on what she had in mind.

"You're so wrapped up in wanting to become pregnant. I know how it can be because I did that once, you really have to stop thinking about it," her friend told her.

"I try, I do, but I want this so badly that it's in the mind at all times," Zoe sighed. "I don't want it to be. I love spending time with my family and I focus on them but it's like a have this reminder in the back of mind telling me I'd be happier with another baby and it like mocks me. I know it sounds crazy," she laughed.

"It does," AB laughed. "But I know what you're going through, I wish I could tell you that it gets easier and it might," she quickly added. "And I do hope that you end up with a little baby Kinsella in your tummy," she smiled.

"Thanks AB, how do you know anyway? I didn't think you and Lavon were trying to have kids," she commented.

"We're not, but I want kids and he knows that and we're on the same page when it comes to kids and I want one so badly that I know where you're coming from so if you need someone to talk to about that, I'm here," AB told her. Zoe gave her a smile and watched as she walked out of her office. Leaning back in her chair she felt a little better about things and happy to know that Annabeth didn't write her off as crazy for telling her about her inner struggles. Pushing the conversation with AB out of mind she got back to work.

"You sure we did the right thing by sending them off to summer camp?" Wade asked the second Zoe walked through the door. "I know they wanted to go but I feel guilty about sending them off," he chuckled.

"We did the right thing, if we kept them home this summer, they would've moped around mad at us for not letting them go," she informed her husband, walking up to him quickly wrapping her arms around him needing his comfort. "What happens if we can't get pregnant again? It's already been a year, Wade." Her question muffled by his shirt, but he understood.

"Then we live a happy life with the two kids we have," he told her. She smiled, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder.

"How did I get so lucky to have you?" She questioned with a smirk.

"You were you," he replied, picking her up over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She laughed. She didn't dare want to tell him to drop her because he would and she really was enjoying the way his butt looked.

"You'll see," he smirked, tossing her in the middle of the bed. "You want a baby and I'd be a pretty bad husband if I didn't make that happen," he husked out.

A few days later Wade walked into the practice to surprise his wife with a little picnic, though he was the one in for a surprise when he couldn't find his wife in her office. Thinking that maybe she was a patient he went to Harley's office seeing the older man behind his desk.

"Wade," he smiled, looking up at the small knock on his office door. "By the looks of things you came for my daughter and not for me," he laughed. "You missed her by a few minutes, she headed on home."

Wade thanked him and headed home himself, wondering what was going on with his wife. It wasn't like her to just leave work like that. The journey home wasn't a long one which he was thankful for because the suspense on what was going on with his wife was getting the best of him.

"Your dad told me that you had left work early. You feeling okay?" He questioned walking into their bedroom. He stopped dead in his tracks seeing his wife sitting on the edge of their bed, a test in her hands. "Is that what I think it is?" He questioned, walking to join her on the bed very slowly. He couldn't tell if it was a good thing or not with the way he could see the tear marks on her face. Zoe nodded, showing him the test, reading the words **pregnant**. "This is amazing!" he exclaimed, pulling Zoe to him crashing his lips against hers, ready to celebrate in their own little way.


	19. Chapter 19

**I had plans of having this chapter up days ago, but life got in the way. I had sat down to write it yesterday and once again life was there with a big interference and this morning I couldn't find the energy to work on this without hating every idea that came to mind. I still don't like this chapter, but I feel that if I delete it, I won't be able to rewrite it for you guys and I don't want to make you wait any longer for it. So it's better than nothing, hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

"I really hate that we can't share this news with the kids," Zoe told Wade later that night lying in her husband's arms. They had already decided that they weren't going to tell anyone not even their parents that they were expecting again, not until after they had told their kids. It was important to them to tell Ariel and Braxton.

"We can always take a trip to see them, parents are welcome to spend a few hours there every Saturday, that is what the brochure said they handed to us," Wade told her. He didn't like see his wife like this, he wanted to do whatever he could to make her happy so she wouldn't be stressed out. He wanted this pregnancy to be as easy possible and stress free. He wasn't going to make himself get hung up that what happened with Boyd could happen this time around, that was wrong on more than one level.

"I don't know," she sighed. She wasn't really sure if she wanted to travel the 2 hours to where they were at to inform the kids that they were going to have a brother or sister in a few months time. She wasn't sure she wanted to ruin their time at camp, she didn't even know how they were going to react to the news after everything and she did want them to have fun while they were away at camp. "Can we really do that to them?"

"Do what to them?" Wade questioned, playing with his wife hair. He really didn't see anything wrong with going to their camp to tell them the news. He wanted the kids to know but he also missed them and it was the perfect excuse to go and see them and make sure that they were okay and the camp was standing with the right people in charge.

"I don't want to ruin their time at camp and going up there to tell them the news, I don't want them to feel like we sent them away just so we could have more kids," she told him earning a soft laugh from Wade. "I'm serious Wade, I don't want them hating the rest of their time at camp because we ruined their little summer fun mood they have going on. What if they don't even want to have little brother or a little sister after what happened with Boyd?" She questioned.

"They won't think that, Zo," he assured her. "They're smart kids and they know that we would never do that to them. They're going to be excited and we don't have to tell them right away, Zoe. We can spend most the time hearing about what they have been doing, meet the friends they have been making and at some point tell them what we have to tell them, they're not going to hate us or think that we're trying to replace them, we've been through this all before," he told her in a soft tone. "We've been through this multiple times in therapy and they've been honest with us and they're going to be okay with having little sibling. They won't hate us or resent us for this," Wade told her.

"I know but I guess you're right," Zoe relented. She was making this whole thing a much bigger deal than it really was. They were going to be happy and not once think that they were being replaced, they had been through this once before and things would be different this time.

"Haven't you learned I'm always right?" Wade smirked trying to lighten the mood that had set in.

"Still full of yourself I see," she laughed, looking up at him. He went to reply but found it hard when Zoe's lips were pressed against his own.

* * *

"It's good to see you guys and all," Ariel was saying over her lunch. "I have missed you both, but," she started to say. Part of her had missed her parents so when they showed up to spend the day with them she was happy to have them there but there was something about them, like they were keeping something from them.

"What's going on?" Braxton asked, finishing what Ariel was going to say. "This has been the first time you've shown up since we've been here," he tacked on. He too didn't mind them showing up, he had missed them but he learned that it was easier each day he had been there and he was making friends, friends that Ariel wasn't friends with so it was good to have his own group of friends and not be forced to share them with his sister.

"You caught us because we couldn't just show up here to see your two amazing kids," Wade retorted in a sarcastic tone.

"What your father means is," Zoe said, sending a look at Wade before facing the two kids in front of her. "We've got some news and we wanted you two to be the first ones to know but at the same time we wanted to come see how you two are doing here because we miss you both," Zoe told them with a smile.

"Are we moving?" Ariel asked. "I don't want to move if we are, I will protest and live with one set of grandparents or the other," she informed them.

"Settle down, we're not moving. Besides where would we move to?" Wade asked a bit curious, wondering just how his daughter had come up with the logic.

"New York, Mom could've gotten her old job back," Ariel shrugged, stating it like it was the most natural thing to say. To her it made sense.

"So if we're not moving, then what?" Braxton asked, finishing off the food on his plate. He was tired of them going around the topic at hand; he did have a game that he needed to be at in just a few minutes.

"We're pregnant," Zoe told them.

"Oh cool," Braxton replied getting up, he was happy for his parents, this was a huge a deal for them and he didn't want to take anything away from that fact, but right now it didn't change his life one way or another. "Is that all? That could've waited till we got home."

"I'm happy for you guys and this is great but Brax is right, it could've waited. We wouldn't have minded if you told other people before us," Ariel replied getting up. She too was happy for her parents. She knew just how much they wanted this. To be a big sister was going to rock, but she too had things to do and she didn't want her parents hanging around the whole time. It was a bit harsh but what she was doing was surprise for them when they came back at the end of the summer for parent's day and she didn't want the surprise to get ruined.

"Can we go now? There's this tournament going on and I'm apart of it. It was nice of you guys to come, but are we done now?" He wasn't trying to push his parents away, but he couldn't stop his life just because they showed up without warning to see them.

"Yeah, go on," Wade told them.

Ariel and Braxton hugged their parents and took off leaving their parents a confusing mess on what just happened.

* * *

"They blew you off?" Jesse laughed. Wade glared at his brother. He was still upset that they had just blown them off for who knows what, they seemed a little happy about the news they were told, but they just wanted to get back to whatever it was they had going on at camp that they refused to tell them about.

"Pay no attention to your brother," Earl remarked. "You get use to your kids blowing you off for things they think is more important, it happens to all of us," Earl smirked remembering the day that both Jesse and Wade didn't want anything to do with them as well.

"They're just growing up," Jackie said, joining in the conversation.

"You told us that you had something to tell us," Harley stated changing the topic. He had remained quiet while they talked about Ariel and Braxton ditching them. He had no experience when it came to that so he was of no help to them.

"Don't hold your excitement back like the kids did," Wade retorted bitterly. Zoe rolled her eyes and took his hand in hers. Wade gave her smile letting her know that things were going to be okay. Those around them watched the couple with curious eyes. "We're having a baby," Wade told them, turning his attention the parents in the room as well as his brother.

"Is that all?" Jesse asked with a smirk. "It could've waited, I've got things to do," he laughed, getting up. Wade growled at him. "Chill I was joking," Jesse told him, pulling Wade in for a hug, repeating the process with Zoe just being a little more cautious with her. "I'm happy for you guys, this is something you guys have wanted for a while now, I can't wait to be cool Uncle Jesse again," he smiled, retaking his seat.

"I knew it," Jackie beamed, quickly pulling Wade and Zoe into a hug.

"Ma, how'd you know? We've barely known that information," Wade argued with his mom.

"There's a certain glow around your wife," Jackie replied with a smirk much like Wade's.

It felt like a lifetime as they were asked question after question. They were okay it, they were just happy to get the news out there. It was something they had gone back and forth on. They didn't want to tell anyone other than the kids just in case they lost this one too but they soon realized that they couldn't think like that. This pregnancy was different from the last one. They couldn't treat it like they were expecting to lose this one because it already happened to them, they had to stay positive and focus on the little baby that was growing inside her stomach day by day.


	20. Chapter 20

**In this point in the story, I don't have Lemon the owner of Fancies yet. More time has been skipped and I'm sorry for that, but this is what finally came out after struggling with this chapter, I've tired countless times to write and it really felt like the cursor was mocking me. I'm sorry for the wait and I hope you can enjoy this one.**

* * *

Once they got back from Summer camp, Braxton and Ariel were still acting funny around their parents. They had been questioned about it more than once and the answer was the same, they had no idea what their parents were going on about. The surprise they had for them while at camp had came home with them and in a way changed and they were waiting for their little brother or sister to be born, the final touch still needed to be added.

With their parents occupied as the months went by, they had talked to Jesse into helping them change the nursery around. Wade and Zoe had stayed away from the room as much as possible but they knew they'd have to go in there and get things switched around, every time they tried, one of the kids had been there to intercept them. Finally they had enough of trying to keep their parents from the room that they caved just a little and told them with Uncle Jesse's help it was a surprise for the both of them.

They'd let it go, seeing just how much it meant to their kids. Wade had found a way to get Jesse to talk and keep him updated with what was going on and not to keep Zoe stressed out, he'd fill her in on what he knew. Neither one of them knowing that Jesse wasn't letting anything that was actually happening in the room slip instead telling them what they wanted to hear.

With school in session Wade figured he'd be able to get at least a peek of what they had done in the room, but to his surprise the door was locked, when the kids weren't there. As easy as it would have been to break into the room, he let it be not wanting to ruin the surprise his kids were working so hard on.

"It shouldn't be this hard," Wade announced, tossing his pen down, watching it roll off the coffee table and land on the floor.

"Just because we've been through this before doesn't make things any easier," Zoe replied, gently closing the baby name book. "We've already decided to give the baby a normal name and not some weird name," she replied.

"I know, baby, but finding the right name in the middle of a ton of names that are just stupid, is annoying," he sighed.

"Is there a name you like?" Zoe asked. They had spent the last few weeks looking over baby names. Each of them skipping over the boy names and looking strictly at the girl names. They were okay with everything until they had took a look at boy names, that's when a few things would come up for them so instead of dealing with it, they looked at girl names. They were trying to wait until the baby was born to find out if they would have a daughter or a son. But with each visit they were finding it harder and harder to wait. The temptation of finding out the sex of their baby was starting to get the best of them.

"I always thought Elizabeth was a pretty name," he told her.

"Elizabeth Joyce Kinsella," Zoe smiled. "I like it."

Wade smiled, pulling his wife to him, his hands resting against her stomach as they kissed. Wade broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. "Now that we have that figured out, we can talk about what we're going to do for your birthday next week," he smirked.

"I told you and the kids, I don't want to do anything. Staying in with all of you sounds like heaven to me right now, especially one this one is due in a little over a month."

When they had hit the seventh month period of the pregnancy they had tried so hard to stay positive about everything and focus on the good things that were going to come. But they both had the worry in the back of their minds that something was going to happen. Wade had gotten so worried that he had talked to Brick and Harley and together they talked to Zoe telling her that they had everything covered at the practice. It took a bit of persuasion but in the end Zoe gave in, they were only thinking of her and what was best for her and even though she didn't like it, she knew it was for the best.

"Got it, no parties," Wade replied, hiding his smirk. He wouldn't throw a party and they wouldn't leave their house, but he had already planned out a low key evening with family and a few close friends.

"I mean it," she told him, resting her head against his chest. Her birthday would be special enough with just her family there.

The day of Zoe's birthday, Wade let her have the day she wanted. They had the food that Zoe wanted and they spent the night in watching movies, no matter the type of movie they found Zoe would cry. By this point they were use to it and whoever was the closet to the tissues would hand the box to Zoe. Wade would gently rub her arm or her stomach as she had curled into him.

After they had some cake and ice cream, they handed Zoe a little something so she wouldn't get suspicious that they had a little get together planned for the weekend. Braxton and Ariel had put there money together getting her a card and a gift basket filled with things for the tub so can relax after their sibling was born or even before if she wanted to use them. She really liked it hugging them both as more tears sprang to her eyes.

"Thank you," she told them through her tears. She really didn't like her emotions getting the best of her, but there wasn't a thing she could do about it.

Pulling away from the hug, Brax and Ariel took the dishes to the kitchen. She smiled looking over at Wade.

"I know you said that you didn't want anything but I couldn't find it in me to just go on and not get you anything for your birthday," he told her, pulling a little box out from it's hiding spot next to him. "It's not finished yet, as you'll see," he quickly told her.

Zoe gave him a look and slowly opened it. More tears and a small gasp was the only noise she made seeing the necklace with a heart pendant filled with the birthstones for Ariel, Braxton, and their new baby. Seeing the forth one she cried even more. "You put Boyd's on there," she replied.

"Even though he's not here, he's still our son," Wade replied, taking the necklace and placing it around her neck, Zoe holding her hair out of his way. "If this little one happens to be born later than what the doctor's say, I'll change the birthstone and there's always room for another one if we end up with another baby," he filled her in.

She had no words for him and let her emotions into the kiss she gave him, speak for her. She loved the necklace and that he didn't exclude their little boy they had lost, it was fitting for him to be included. Pulling away from him she did manage to chock a 'thank you' barely above a whisper, but Wade heard her and kissed her temple as they got settled to watch another movie.

The day of Zoe's little surprise get together, Harley came over and took her out to Fancies, convincing the owner to open just for them for an hour or two. Having a birthday breakfast with his daughter, had been something he had wished he'd been able to do when she was a little girl. But now it was going to be something he did every year that he could, last year they had went to Mobile but with his daughter being 8 months pregnant he was going to play it safe.

"We haven't talked much about this baby," Harley commented. "You guys still don't know what the baby is?"

"No," Zoe shook her head. "That's why we told everyone to plan a baby shower until after the baby was born," she told him. "We did come up with names, the boy was a little harder considering," she sighed, moving food around on her plate. "You'll find out the name when the baby is born, we want to keep the other name just in case," she told him with a smile.

"I can respect that," Harley laughed.

Zoe settled into an easy conversation with her dad, filling the hole Ethan created with completeness of caring and love. Her life had been shattered when Ethan had left but now that she had her father in her life it was great, though she told herself that if Ethan wanted to be a part of her life she had room and love for him as well.

Finishing their breakfast, they took a slow walk back to Zoe's house. The sun was shining brightly, the birds singing sweet melodies all with a light breeze.

"I thought I said no party," she told her husband with just a hint of anger, amusement in most of her voice. With as long as she known her husband, just because she didn't wasn't a part didn't mean that would stop him.

"It's just family and some close friends, nothing too big," he said with a kiss.

It was sweet that he had went through all the trouble to do this for her. Having a good time with friends and family as long as she could sit and rest, it made the day that much better.


	21. Chapter 21

**Since I had nearly went a month without updating this one, I figured I owed it to everyone to add another chapter today.**

 **I had never intended to leave out the other set of grandparents, I just couldn't figure out how I wanted to bring them back in and it worked out nicely with this chapter and there is still more to come with Henry and Ruby as I know exactly what I'm going to do with them.**

 **I get that things might not seem a bit on the realistic side with this chapter but in its own little way it just felt right to do things this way. And I liked focusing more on Jesse towards the end of the chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

By the time Planksgiving came around Zoe was more than ready to have her baby out in the world. The baby's due date wasn't for a few more days, but she was uncomfortable at all times of the day, she barely slept leaving her extra cranky.

Wade tried to do everything in his power to help his wife out but found it was actually easier said then done. The one thing he could do for her, because the last thing he wanted for her to do was to go out and joined in with the rest of the town festivities, he convinced his parents and his in-laws to come over and they would have their own little feast. He didn't want Zoe to get uncomfortable out on the streets, he was doing this with her mind. The door was always open for anyone to stop in and see them.

"Have I told you just how much I love you?" Zoe asked, wrapping her arms around his waist, her head resting on his chest. She really didn't feel up to going out so staying in and having a meal with their family was the best thing that she could think of to celebrate the day.

"You have and ya know, I love you too," he told her with a kiss to the top of her head. Standing there wrapped up in each other's embrace left them in a world of their own.

"I'll get it," Zoe told her husband pulling away hearing the knocking at their front door. Wade went to protest, but Zoe shook her head. He kissed her temple and went to see if he was needed elsewhere. "Hi," Zoe said her shock wrapped in confusion.

"We know we should've called and not just dropped by announced," Henry said. "But we did want to give you guys a bit of space with everything that had been going on in your life and we've talked to Ariel enough to know what's been going on and she asked if we would come down," he explained.

Zoe nodded, letting them come into the house. "I'm actually happy you both are here and I do hope that things between us are better than we last left off on," she said, looking between Henry and Ruby. They still had things to discuss, but she was going to let those things go for the moment.

"And I'm sorry for that," Ruby said. "Justin was," she paused.

"I know," Zoe told her with a gentle smile. "How long are you planning on being here?" She asked.

"For the weekend, Monday or Tuesday at the latest," Ruby replied. "We've got a room at the Whippoorwill Blossom Bed and Breakfast."

"Ariel's in the kitchen helping with dinner, you're more than welcome to head in there," Zoe told them, taking a seat on the couch, her hands resting on her stomach.

Ruby went in search for her granddaughter, leaving Henry behind to take a seat in the living room. "Not much longer, right?" He asked.

"Could be any day and I can't wait," she smiled, gently rubbing her stomach.

"Ariel told us that you guys don't what the sex is," he commented. Zoe shook her head. As hard as it had been they had stuck to waiting to find out what they were having until the actual birth.

"Hey Henry," Wade greeted walking into the living room to check on his wife and to see what exactly was going on between Zoe and Henry. He didn't want Henry to be saying anything to stress Zoe out, not when they were so close to having their son or daughter in their arms. "My dad and Harley are out back setting up a little treasure hunt for Braxton and Ariel, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you joined them," he suggested.

Henry chuckled lightly and headed through the house to back yard. Wade gave Zoe a look seeing a look of pain flash across her face. "I'm fine," she told him.

"You're not fine," he said, sitting on the coffee table in front of her. "What's going on?" He asked gently.

"Nothing," she tried. Wade shook his head. "Okay, just a little contraction, nothing to be alarmed about, they just started, that was the first one I've felt and we have plenty of time to kill before the idea that our baby is ready to come out is actually real. They don't want us there right now, just wait it out here," she told him.

"They don't or you don't?" He questioned. She shrugged giving him a pout. "Fine you are the doctor after all, but when I think it's enough of your foolishness we're going to Mobile, unless you want your dad to deliver our baby," he smirked.

"Not really," she told him with a disgusting face. "That's a worse case scenario anyway," she replied.

"I mean it, Zo, the second I feel like you can't handle the pain, we're out the door," he told her. He didn't care that they had guests, his focus was on his wife and baby making sure nothing happened to her or their baby.

"I know and I love that about you, but my water hasn't even broke yet," she told him, trying to calm him down. She rolled her eyes seeing the serious look on his face.

"Even I know that sometimes the doctor has to break the water," he retorted.

"Okay, fine but the best thing to do right now is to wait for the contractions to be a bit closer together or we're wasting hours maybe a day at the hospital, I get your concern, Wade. And I promise you this baby will be born in the hospital and we have a bit more to worry about here, but going in won't do either one of us any good. Let's enjoy a bit more time with our families and take it as it goes."

"Okay," he relented.

"Everything okay in here?" Jackie asked, peeking her head into the living room.

"Yep," Wade replied. Jackie nodded and head back into the kitchen, to finish up with the food. "What?" He asked, seeing the raised eyebrow of his wife. "No need to make them worry until we have too," he replied, kissing her to keep her from saying anything.

A few hours later Wade could see that the contractions were closer together and every time he went to say something, Zoe would shake her head. For right now he was letting her control everything, until he couldn't take any longer. If anyone noticed they never said anything, Jesse at most shared a look with Wade when he noticed the pain featured in Zoe's face, going back to talking to his girlfriend.

They were in the middle of their family dinner when Zoe excused herself to use the bathroom. Hearing his wife call his name in which to him sounded like panic, he was up and out of his chair in a flash, the rest of them doing the same thing.

Jackie had promised that they would clean everything up, Harley would bring the kids to the hospital later after their little sibling was born. Henry and Ruby had promised to stick around and help out in any way that was possible. Jesse seeing the state his brother was in, drove them to the hospital.

Jesse paced in the waiting room. Even though this wasn't his kid being born, he was still freaking out. He wanted his newest niece or nephew to be a healthy happy baby with nothing going wrong whatsoever. That would really wreck his brother's family and over the years he'd come to accept Zoe as his own sister and he wanted them to be a happy little family.

Time had seemed to merge together for Jesse, the tick tock sound of the clock hanging on the wall blending together as he waited for any kind of updates from his brother. Reporting back to the others in Bluebell got harder as time went by as they had been persistent to know what was going on and he had the same reply each time, that he didn't know anything.

He had long ago collapsed in a chair, his eye lids becoming heavy with sleep when Wade had burst into the waiting room a proud smile on his face. "Want to come meet your newest Niece?" He asked his older brother. He waited until Zoe had dozed off before going out to find his brother and whoever else may happen to be in the waiting room.

Whatever sleep that had been trying to consume his body was long gone as he got to his feet a grin on his face as he followed his brother to the nursery. He didn't need a name to know which baby belonged to his little brother. She looked like both of them. "Hi Elizabeth," he said softly, reading her name for the tag. "She's the cutest one in there," he told his brother. "Hey now we can have cake on Planksgiving," he smirked, nudging his brother's arm.

"What?" Wade asked with a chuckle.

"You can't not have cake on the days her birthday falls on the holiday," he retorted in a duh tone.

"I think you need to go home or make a bed in the waiting room and get a few hours of sleep," Wade told him. "Thanks for uh ya know everything," Wade told him in an awkward manner.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you," Jesse told him. "You go back to your wife, I'm going to snap a picture and send it to everyone," Jesse informed him.

Wade nodded and headed back to his wife, his smile remaining on his face. Come tomorrow morning, he'd have plenty of people to deal with when they came into visit and see little Eliza. And he couldn't wait to show off his little girl.


	22. Chapter 22

Zoe woke up to the sounds of hushed voices, smiling she opened her eyes to see her husband holding their little girl, as their eldest kids stood around Wade gushing over their little baby sister. It was a sight she really liked to see.

"Morning," she said, sitting up in bed.

"Morning, Mommy," Wade replied, getting up to hand their daughter over. "She's been changed, but I do think she's hungry, while you feed her, I'm going to take these two to get a bite to eat," he informed her.

"But we ate before coming here," Braxton argued, not wanting to leave his mom or sister.

"We really can't eat anymore," Ariel added on, wanting to stay where she was.

"Okay," Wade responded, "we'll go to the gift shop so you can get your little sister a present," he tried then.

"But we got her a stuffed pink duck," Ariel said, shaking her head, holding said duck up. "I really think that you need to get some sleep, Dad."

"And don't forget the pink and purple blanket," Braxton announced, picking the soft fleece blanket up.

"Fine," Wade said, kissing the top of Zoe's head. "We'll go for a walk and see where your grandparents went off to," he told them, kissing his little girl's forehead. Earl and Jackie had stayed long enough to gush over their newest grandchild but left the room not wanting to wake Zoe up. Harley was going to stop in later in the day after he had finished at the practice.

"They really don't have to leave," Zoe told him, her eyes on the little girl in her arms, her eyes open.

"I know," Wade told her, "but we'll give you a minute," he smiled, ushering Braxton and Ariel out of the room. "Just couldn't stay away could you?" Wade asked with a laugh seeing his brother walking towards them.

"She's just too adorable and besides I haven't even been able to hold her yet," Jesse smiled.

"Zoe's feeding her," Wade informed him. That's all it took for Jesse to change the direction he was walking. "Did you see Mom and Dad on your way up?" Wade laughed, he could sit and watch Zoe breast feeding his little girl, but he really didn't want his brother to witness it.

"They're outside," Jesse told him. "Can we talk?" Jesse asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they waited for the elevator.

"What did you do?" Braxton asked with a smirk.

"He sure is yours," Jesse commented with a small chuckle.

"Must be serious if he's avoiding to answer the question," Ariel smarted off, wearing a smirk.

"You sure she's not yours?" Jesse questioned turning to look at his brother.

"She is mine and nothing will change that fact," Wade said, smiling at Ariel. Blood didn't always make you a father, and that was what he was to Ariel. He loved her like his own and there was nothing anyone could say that would ever change that. "But like my son asked, what did you do, Jesse?" Wade asked him. Jesse had never really been the type of person to run out and get himself into trouble and he was smart enough to know that he wasn't running from the cops so whatever he had done, it wasn't that bad.

"Remember Taryn?" Jesse asked, pushing the button for the lobby. Wade nodded his head. It was hard to forget about the woman his brother had brought home, telling them the sickening cute story about how they had literally fallen for each other. They had been dating for the past year and a half now, he saw her quite a bit during that period, how was he going to forget her? Wade had went to ask what he did to mess that relationship up when Jesse finally spoke up. "She's pregnant, the doctor told her she was 4 months along."

"How did you guys not know this months ago?" Wade asked, letting the kids exit the elevator first, looking at his brother funny.

"For the past two months she's been back in Oklahoma dealing with family shit and she's barely showing as it is, she's never ate normal food so the cravings weren't all that unusual," Jesse explained.

"Even though I don't get how one wouldn't know they were that far along, I'm happy for you, Jesse," Wade told him. He was happy that his brother had finally started to settle down, not only that but now his little Eliza would have a friend. "I know that you're going to get all worried at being a horrible father, but I've seen you first hand with Braxton when he was little and you're a natural, Jesse, don't freak out about things you can't control and just enjoy this time, because soon enough everything is going to change," Wade informed him.

"In a good way right?" Jesse questioned. Wade looked at his brother with a smirk, shrugged his shoulders and walked over to where his kids and parents were at. "Wade!" Jesse yelled, hurrying to catch up to his little brother.

"What did you do to your brother?" Earl asked, looking at his eldest son's pale face.

"Dad didn't do anything," Ariel said.

"Uncle Jesse's having a baby," Braxton said taking over.

Jackie squealed, getting up to hug her eldest son, happy for him. She always wanted the best for her kids but over the last couple of years she just didn't know if Jesse would ever find someone to settle down with, Jesse was more like his father than Wade had ever been. Jesse wanted to be free and do his own thing much like Earl had when they were younger, Earl had been filled with stories of all the things he wanted to do, swore up and down that love wouldn't get in his way because he didn't do love, but like many people love had snuck up on Earl at an early age and all he could think about was doing things with Jackie by his side.

Jackie pulled Wade into the hug with Jesse. Wade was like her, a romantic at heart but he kept his heart guarded waiting for the right person to come along and he may have thought he found it before and one great thing came out of his first marriage. Jackie knew that it was fate for Wade and Zoe.

"I can't wait for my house to be filled with grandkids," Jackie smiled, kissing both her son's on the cheek. "Speaking of which, is Zoe awake?"

"She was feeding Eliza, I'm sure by now little Eliza has gotten her tummy full," Wade told his mom, a smile coming out as he talked about his little girl.

He knew it was a hospital and that his wife and daughter were safe but seeing the door to the hospital room open a crack, his heart drop to the pit of his stomach thinking the worst had happened while he was gone. It was quiet when they got to the door. No one else seemed to be as worried as he was as they went right on in. When he entered he scanned the room looking for his daughter.

"They had to take for a minute, she'll be back soon," Zoe told him with a soft smile seeing the panic her husband was in. She had found it cute. Wade nodded and moved to sit next to her on the bed, leaving what few chairs there were to sit in for his parents. Ariel and Braxton both sat on the foot of the hospital bed. Jesse moved things in the window and took a spot there. "Did I miss something?" Zoe asked looking around the room, feeling like she was being left out of something. A feeling it had to do with Jesse as he looked a bit worse for wear.

Wade was the one to fill his wife in on the fact Jesse was going to be a father. She was really happy for Jesse, she demanded that he get his butt over to her so she could hug him because she was just too comfortable in her husband's arms to get up to make her way over to him. He obliged going to Zoe to hug her.

Once Elizabeth had been brought back to her parents, she had been passed around and gushed over as she had fallen asleep in her grandfather's arms as he gently rocked her. Once she was asleep he moved the blanket out of his way that was wrapped around her so he could count her ten little fingers and her ten little toes.

"They all there, Earl?" Zoe asked with a smile.

"One can never be too sure," Earl replied back, wrapping the little blanket back around her, gently kissing her head.

"He did the same thing with Braxton, thought it would be funny to freak me out by saying that he was missing a toe and the ones he did have were webbed," Wade stated with a chuckle seeing the horror look on his son's face.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Braxton asked, glancing down at his feet, debating if he should take his shoes and socks off to look, he couldn't remember what his feet looked like, not that he had ever actually examined his feet.

"Because your father needed to remember to relax and enjoy the first few hours of your life," Earl replied, laughing at his grandson. "It was a joke Braxton, all toes are there," he chuckled.

"I know," Braxton replied. He'd double check later at home when he was safely in his room.


	23. Chapter 23

**I'm happy that so many of you are okay with Zoe breastfeeding. It's something that I wasn't use to growing up as we didn't see it and it was really talked about, not like it is now and it's such a natural thing and I don't think anyone should get hated on for doing such a natural and beautiful thing. And for the story Wade will come around to it, even if I don't show it.**

 **I'm trying to get things back to where they were at in the first chapter so if there is anything you'd like to see before we get there please let me know so I can get it all worked in.**

 **Enjoy this little fluffy chapter and have a good weekend.**

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Within a few days they were allowed to bring their daughter home from the hospital. Braxton and Ariel had yet to hold their baby sister. They had been asked but each time they declined. When asked why they didn't want to hold her, they would shrug and go back to what they were doing. No one pushed them on it.

"You won't hurt her," Wade commented, walking into the living room, carrying his baby daughter. She was sleeping but he refused to lay her down. "If that's what you both are worried about," he added.

"But what if we do happen to drop her?" Braxton asked, looking up at his dad.

Wade smiled, knowing just how scary it was to hold a baby, he had felt the same way when Braxton was born, scared to hold him, afraid he would drop him and hurt him. More than that he was afraid that the second his son was placed in his arms that he would cry and hate him. "You won't drop her; you're her big brother, Braxton all you will want to do is keep her safe, protecting her from everything. You would never hurt her," Wade explained, glancing down at his little girl.

"How do you know that?" Braxton questioned.

"Because I do, Brax," he stated. "You have met your Uncle Jesse, right?" Wade laughed, he wouldn't call Jesse an overprotective big brother, Jesse had been the one more so on the lines of getting Wade into trouble but on more than one occasion through the years Jesse had been there to keep him from getting seriously hurt or in trouble.

"Have you met Uncle Jesse?" Ariel questioned, placing her book in her lap. "I'm not scared to hold her thinking I'm going to drop her," she told him. "It's more about her crying her little lungs out deciding that she's not comfortable enough to be near me."

"Babies can be scary," Wade told her. "But not quite that scary. She's going to love you, Ariel. You're her big sister, she's going to look up to you and idolize you and she will drive you nuts at times but you have to remember that she does it because she loves you," Wade said giving her a smile. "You're going to be her best friend and the one person she's going to trust most with every secret she has."

"Mom told you that didn't she?" Ariel asked with a smile.

"Maybe," Wade replied. "Want to hold her now?" He questioned looking between the two of them to see if either one of them was going to volunteer first. He wasn't going to push Eliza on either one of them, they'd come around in their own time when they were ready to do so. "There's nothing to it," he commented, lightly kissing his little girl's head, gently rocking her.

"Hand her over," Ariel said with a sigh, placing her book to the side.

Wade smiled moving to place Eliza in her sister's arm. He helped her move her arms to support the baby. Ariel smiled looking down at her sleeping sister; she was a precious little thing. Ariel was amazed at just how little and light she was in her arms. Watching as her little sister slept she vowed that she would be there for her little sister no matter what. "I love you Miss Eliza, you sweet little girl," Ariel whispered, gently kissing her sister's head.

Wade took his baby daughter back when Ariel was done holding her. "You ready to hold her?" Wade asked looking at his son.

"She's not going to vomit all over me is she?" He asked. He knew it was possible, he watched her just earlier that day spit up all over their dad's shoulder.

Wade laughed shaking his head. "She's not sick, and she's been burped, she won't spit up on you and if she does it just means she loves her big brother Braxton," Wade smiled his voice taking on a hint of baby talk.

Braxton rolled his eyes, holding his arms just the way Wade told him to do as he placed Eliza in her big brother's arms. Braxton smiled at his little sister. She was light in his arms but as looked at her he knew then that he was holding more than just his baby sister. He already kept an eye on Ariel and he would do the same with Eliza, he was going to protect her like any big brother would, he wasn't going to let her down. "I may annoy you when you get older, but it's because I love you, Eliza," he told her softly, kissing her soft little cheek. "Think you can remember that?" He questioned softly.

Wade smiled, sitting down in between his kids. He loved his family and he was happy that everything was finally going in their favor. Looking back the rough times had only made them stronger as a family and he was grateful for those moments so he could sit here now and know just how lucky they all were.

"You can take her if you want," Braxton told him, glancing up at his dad. She may be a light little thing but after a while she did start to get heavy. He loved his little sister that he was certain of, hard not to love her, but right now she didn't do much of anything.

Wade smiled, taking his little girl back, snuggling her against his chest. Moments like this were soon going to be rare and he wanted to enjoy each second of them he could for as long as he could.

Zoe woke up from her little nap; Wade had assured her that he had everything under control and if at any point he needed her he'd wake her up. Being up with Eliza throughout the night had left her tired and she had already fallen asleep before Wade had finished talking to her.

Walking into the living she smiled at the scene that greeted her. She quietly but quickly found a camera to snap a picture. Sitting on the couch holding Eliza was Wade, his head tipped back sleeping. Ariel was leaning on Wade's right shoulder, her hand resting gently on top of her baby sister's back as she slept. Braxton was on Wade's left side, Eliza's little fingers wrapped tightly around one of his pointer fingers, he too was out for the count.

Zoe stood there watching the four loves of her life for a few moments. It wasn't until Eliza woke up with a soft cry that Zoe was swooping in to scoop the newborn up, rocking her gently. Getting Eliza to settle down, Zoe was able to grab a throw blanket and toss it over the three still sleeping on the couch.

"You tire you're daddy, brother and sister out?" Zoe asked softly, walking to the nursery to change her diaper. Zoe smiled looking around the room that was painted in a pastel purple color, the cherry wood of the crib, dresser and changing table fitting in perfectly. On one of the walls taking up a good chunk of the wall was a mural of Bluebell by the river's edge at sunset, sitting on one of the few clouds in the colorful sky sat a little boy with little white angel wings, a smile on his face as he looked down at the family of four watching the sun set. Elizabeth was written in big block letter's sitting above the mural the kids had painted over the summer at camp and after they had gotten home. The first time Zoe had seen the mural and the little boy sitting on a cloud she wept like a little baby, happy that they incorporated their little brother they had lost.

Zoe smiled, sitting in the rocking chair that sat next to the window. Zoe slowly rocked her little girl. She was so caught up in watching her little girl as her little eyes slowly darted around taking in what little she could see always coming back to look at mother's face.

"You could've woken me up," Wade commented, leaning against the door jamb a smile on his face. He couldn't get enough of just standing back and watching his wife and baby girl. It was one of his most favorite sights.

"Ever think that I wanted to spend a few minutes alone with my little girl here?" She questioned with a smile, glancing at her husband.

"Can't fault ya there," he chuckled softly, entering the room. "Had a little talk with the kids while you were sleeping and they finally dared the chance of holding her. They were only scared," he commented, running his knuckles over Eliza's little face.

"Do you blame them?" Zoe questioned, placing her hand on her little girl's tummy. "She's so little, it can be a bit terrifying for two kids who have never had to deal with a baby before," she said.

"It'll only be a matter of time before they want to ship her off elsewhere," Wade chuckled. He didn't remember the memories as he was a baby but he was told a few different times by his parents when they would talk about the two of them growing up. It's when he learned that big brothers weren't all they were cracked up to be. "Soon enough she'll disown them," he smirked, remembering the days that he would get so mad at Jesse for embarrassing him, he'd yell at Jesse saying that he hate him and he was no longer his brother. It only lasted for a few days and they were back to being the best of friends until Jesse did something to make him mad and the process started all over again.

"We have a while before any of that, let's not jump ahead of ourselves but rather enjoy these tender little moments," Zoe told him. He couldn't argue with that at all.


	24. Chapter 24

**I had plans of getting this up to you all on Wednesday, but things came up and Thursday I was busy so I tried on Friday but I wasn't feeling it and when Saturday rolled around I had about half of this written and I thought about putting that up for you all but decided against it and kept it the rest of the weekend and kept adding to it to make up for not getting up it when I wanted to have it up. I do hope you all like this chapter, enjoy!**

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"I got her, Doc," Wade told his wife, pulling his pants back up. He had just barely gotten home from closing the Rammer Jammer up. He really wanted to climb into bed with his wife and hold her while he slept. He was still into making that a reality when he was able to slip his shirt off and letting his pants fall to the floor so be could step out of them when Eliza started to cry. Since he was wide awake he didn't mind going to her and getting her back to sleep, he actually enjoyed the night time visits. It was just her and him and the world around them was at peace. He kissed her head softly after figuring out what it was she was crying for. "She's hungry, Mommy," Wade cooed walking into their room, seeing Zoe was still awake barely.

Zoe smiled sleepily sitting up and taking her daughter to feed her. Wade pulled his pants off, crawling into bed, watching his wife and daughter. He couldn't remember why he had been so embarrassed about it before, it was a wonderful sight to see, beautiful in so many ways. It was something special to witness and it made him love his wife even more.

A few minutes later once Eliza was full, burped and struggling to stay awake Zoe turned to her husband to ask him something, the words dying on her lips, seeing him knocked out with a grin on his face. "Say nighty night, Daddy," Zoe said with a smile carefully getting up.

"Night princess," Wade said eyes closed. Zoe shook her, putting her baby girl back to bed. She stood watching her little girl for a few moments to make sure that she was going to stay asleep. Quietly she left her little girl.

Wade pulled Zoe into his body when he felt her lay back down next to him; he kissed her shoulder burying his head into the crook of her neck as he drifted back to sleep.

Wade woke up to an empty bed, he laid there trying to hear life around him, there was no cries for his baby girl, no laughter for his two oldest ones, nothing from his wife and no excess noise from anything else, his house was dead silent. He got up grabbing a clean pair of jeans and slipped them on before venturing into the house, he had searched the whole house before spotting the note that was stuck to the fridge.

 _Wade, Braxton and Ariel are at a friend's house until tonight. I'm with your mom, be home later and Eliza sends her love._

Wade placed the note down on the counter, looking around trying to figure out something he could do until his family came home. The last time he had a day to himself was lost on him, if he didn't have Braxton he had work or he had issues that he needed to work out and didn't have time to do whatever it was he wanted. So today was different. Not feeling up to cooking food for just himself he grabbed out a box of cereal and made himself a bowl, taking it to the living room to find something on TV. He flicked through the channels stopping on ESPN to get caught up in the world of sports that he had been missing out on as of lately.

An hour later had him turning the TV off letting out a long and boring sigh, the house was cleaned and he was amazed at that, he didn't want Zoe to overwork herself now that their little girl was just shy of being a month old by 2 days. With nothing to do inside, he stepped outside looking around the yard, there wasn't much to do but enough to keep him busy for another hour if he worked slowly.

With the yard work being done and a thin layer of sweat covering his body, he walked into the house getting an ice cold drink of water. Taking his water with him he walked into the garage smiling when the coolness hit him. He looked over at the car wondering just when they had gave up on working on it for Braxton. He couldn't really remember when it happened, but by the look of the unopened boxes and the small layer of dust it had been a while and that was going to change now.

Hours later it was the sound of his stomach protesting against him that had him dropping the tools in hand, he walked inside the house heading straight to wash up, he wasn't about to make his wife freak out about the black marks he would leave all over the kitchen. He had just pulled the fridge open looking for what he would need to make a sandwich when he couldn't find what he was looking for. Letting the fridge door shut he grabbed a shirt and pulled it over his head as he looked for his wallet and headed out the door.

It had been nice to be left alone for a few hours, he forgot just how relaxing it could be and it was something he could get use to but he was missing his family. So once he spotted two of his kids playing outside, he took a minute to watch them as they ran around laughing, he smiled at the scene in front of him and continued on his walk to get food before his stomach decided it could no longer wait and start to eat him inside out.

"Hey guys," Wade greeted after he went to the kitchen and placed his own order of food, sitting down next to Lavon, George on the other side of the table.

"How'd you get away from your family?" George asked.

"They abandoned me this morning," Wade smiled, stealing a fry from his friend's plate.

"What the heck did you do?" Lavon asked with a laugh.

"I didn't do a thing," he protested. "When I woke up they were gone," he defended himself.

They dropped it after that and talked about guy things while they ate, tried to make plans to hang out like they use to when they were younger and didn't have the responsibility of family keeping them away, not that any of the three men would change it, Wade personally liked to be busy with his family. But he did miss hanging out with his friends but the only problem was they couldn't find a day let alone a night where they could hang out, if family wasn't in the way then work was, they had no nights off at the same time except Lavon who was always free whenever the other two were but they couldn't get anything to work out so they left it up in the air to figure out at a later date in time.

He finished his lunch getting a beer to enjoy what little time he had left with his friends when Jesse had joined them. He had pouted and wanted to know why they hadn't invited him.

"Because it's peaceful when you're not around whining," Wade joked, taking a long pull from his bottle of beer. "We haven't seen you in a few weeks; you finally found a way to escape huh?"

"Don't even joke about that," Jesse told him shaking his head. "It's the first chance I had to get away, she's been crazy these last few weeks, needing things to be done because everything needs to be perfect for when the baby comes, which is still like 3 months away," he sighed. He really wished that his little baby would be born already; he was ready to hold his little bundle in his arms. Taryn had found out what they were having but he didn't want to know until the baby was born, he wanted to be surprised in that way, but it left him not able to do much with the nursery since she knew and he didn't, he was allowed to put the crib together and things like that but the rest like the painting and decorating was something she was going to have her brother do and for him it sucked but he didn't want to fight with her about that, because he wasn't going to let the nursery theme reveal if he was going to have a boy or a girl.

"She's only excited," Wade told him with a soft laugh. "But I know first hand that anything can happen between now and the due date, dude, just try to make her relax and take as much stress off of her as you can," he informed his brother. "How'd you get away?" Wade asked him then, George and Lavon letting the brother's have there little conversation.

"I have been," he assured his brother. "She's out doing some baby shopping with your wife and our mother, so it's going to be awhile yet. Eliza has gotten so big since I've seen her last, you did good little bro," Jesse laughed but yet being completely serious at the same time.

"Yeah, I did, but you haven't done bad for yourself either, Jesse," Wade informed him with a massive grin on his face. "Eliza is still a little thing," he replied shaking his head.

They had easily gotten back into guy talk about sports and the upcoming high school games after Wade and Jesse finished up with their little talk and in no time at all they were laughing over another round of beer. Wade and Jesse not daring to drink too much, but a couple wouldn't hurt.

* * *

She wasn't too shocked to learn that Wade wasn't home when she had gotten in, learning from Taryn that he was hanging out with Jesse at the Rammer Jammer, she let them be and knew he'd be home before it got too late. She just went around the house and picked up after him from his morning of being home, she didn't touch anything in the garage because she had no idea where any of it went, she just switched the light off and shut the door, she'd let Wade deal with that mess when he got home or maybe he'd have to deal with it tomorrow. Either way he'd be the one to clean it up.

She had been home an hour before her two oldest ones came running through the door, both giving her a hug jumping into a story, they took turns telling her about how their day had been. Zoe laughed along with them as they told it letting herself get pulled into their story. Once it was finished they got up and headed upstairs after they let her know that they had already had dinner.

Ariel had only made it halfway up the stairs before turning around and coming back down to pick up her little sister and play with her. While Ariel was doing that, Zoe went into the kitchen to find something she could easily make for herself for dinner because she was starving.

Zoe was walking around with her little daughter in her arms gently rocking her trying to get her back to sleep. They day had been a fun one but a long one, she had enjoyed looking at baby things with Taryn and knowing what sex her and Jesse's little baby was. Taryn had walked out of the baby store with bags filled with things she needed when her little bundle of joy arrived which had been the plan when they walked into the store, however no matter how many times Zoe told them no on buying Eliza anything they refused to listen and Zoe walked out of the store with just as many bags as Taryn had. Finding room for the clothes and little toys had been easy, she just wasn't sure if Eliza would stay little long enough to wear all the clothes they had for her.

She had just gotten Eliza asleep when the music started to blare from the house across the street. She had thought about calling Bill at the police station but had to take care of her daughter first, the music didn't bother her, she was had grown accustomed to the loud noise living in the city for as long as she had and it was still something that really didn't cause much of a problem for her. So as long as it had no effect on her kids she wasn't going to worry about it. But now that it had disturbed Eliza she would have to make that call, if someone on the block hadn't done so yet.

"Has it been like that all night?" Wade asked, entering the bedroom, referring to the music that was still being played, it had been turned down but not by much.

"Bill's been over there more than once in the last hour, I really don't think he knows what to do, it's not like it's something he's had to deal with before, most the time it's teenagers and he can take them home," she quickly explained, "I just can't get Eliza to stay asleep with the music. Ariel and Braxton are both out and it doesn't seem to bother them.

Wade wanted to go over there and personally introduce himself to their new neighbors with a fist after unplugging the sound system. As fun as that would be it wouldn't do anyone any good if he was the one Bill took in for trespassing. He wasn't surprised that Braxton and Ariel could sleep through the noise; they could sleep through most anything.

It was well after 1 in the morning when the music died down, Wade was still awake but the rest of his family was sleeping. He really didn't want to deal with another night like the one he had just went through, he'd talk with some of the other homeowners on the block and with Bill to see what could be done, but in the meantime he was going to let his kids have some fun.

Waking up Braxton and Ariel to fill them in on what he wanted them to do was no easy feat, but when they were awake enough they were bouncing in their shoes, with eggs and toilet paper in hand he sent his kids on their way. He laughed watching it from the living room window the best he could in what little light he had from the moon.

"I really hope Earl didn't send you and Jesse out to egg people's houses." He turned to be met with a very amused Zoe. She wasn't mad they did deserve it.

"He didn't, but that didn't mean we didn't do it either," he chuckled, it just never happened in Bluebell. "They're having fun and Bill won't do anything if he finds out it was them, just don't punish them I made them do it," he told her.

"I'm not punishing anyone, they deserve worse than what our kids are dishing out," she informed him. "But that doesn't mean I'm okay with them doing this either, next time all three of you will be in trouble," she warned him.

"What if I had nothing to do with it?" He pouted, pulling her into his embrace, his chin resting on top of her head.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She questioned with a small laugh. "I'm going back to bed make sure they get back safe and into bed," she told him.

"Will do," he let her know, pulling her back in for a lingering kiss.

* * *

It was a few days later when Braxton and Ariel recounted the story to Earl and Jackie, Earl and Jesse laughed, but Jackie was not pleased with her son.

"I can't believe you sent them out to do your dirty work," Jesse laughed. "I hope my child will do that if I tell them to," he said his laughter dying down some. "And you just let them?" He directed at Zoe.

"I don't know what I was thinking, but I couldn't get after them when it was their father's idea to start with," she easily explained. "Being mad at my husband seemed to be more trouble than it was worth," she tacked on.

"I told you a while ago that he was always going to be a child, I do believe that he was in the middle of a wrestling match with his brother," Earl brought up with a chuckle.

"When was this?" Wade questioned.

"It seems like a lifetime ago now," Zoe laughed.

"I have half a mind to ground you like I did when you and Jesse came home well into the night covered in egg shell and spray paint," Jackie hissed entering the room, placing dessert in front of everyone except her youngest son. She was making him get his own.

"Ma, it wouldn't work, I don't live here and I have my own family," he stated walking back out from the kitchen.

"You sure didn't act grown, Wade," Jackie hissed. "I'm going to go check on my little grandbaby and hopefully you won't make her do stupid things like your other two here," she said pushing her chair away from the table.

"You best go fix that," Earl warned.

Wade sighed but got up anyway, going after his mother. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it would cause this much trouble, no one got hurt and they felt so bad the next day they went over and helped clean the mess up, turns out the parents were gone for the night and the kids had a party, poor Bill was at a loss on what to do. But I shouldn't have sent them over there," he told her.

"You're right about that," she told him with a hard edge to her voice. "At least they were feeling guilty enough to go over and help clean their mess up. I'm upset because they're good kids and I don't want anything to be taken away from them for pulling stupid pranks."

"I won't let that happen and Zoe would never let it fly. Nothing will be taken away from them, the world is theirs to take, that will never change, I promise ya on that Ma," Wade told her.

"It best stay that way," she warned.

"And risking making you pissed, I think not," he smiled, pulling his mom in for a hug. "Love ya, Ma," he said softly, dripping a kiss to her cheek.


	25. Chapter 25

**I apologize for taking over a week to get this one updated again, I won't bore you with excuses just know that I'm sorry for taking longer than I would've liked to. Also I know Wade was a bit immature in the last chapter, so I'm sorry if you guys didn't really like that, anyway here's this little chapter, hope you like it, enjoy!**

* * *

"What's going on?" Zoe asked walking into the house to see their new neighbors sitting on the couch laughing with Wade.

"Nothing dear," Wade replied. "This is Annie and David, they're from Chicago," he quickly told her. Zoe told them hi, turning her attention back to her husband. "How was your dad and Brick?"

"Good, bossy, they'd only let me do so much for so long so I spent most the time I was there doing nothing," she replied. Now that she could go back to work she'd go in a few days out of the week for a few hours in the morning. Brick and Harley would only let her do little things that may or may not need to be done but for now she was okay with that. "Is Eliza sleeping?"

"She's with Lemon, Ariel is off with her grandparents and Braxton is running around the neighborhood more than likely causing trouble," he told her with a smile.

"Why did Lemon take her?" She questioned as Wade pulled her into his lap.

"She didn't really say and considering that I've known her since I was Eliza's age, I trust that she'll bring our daughter back in one piece."

She didn't like that Wade had just handed their baby daughter over without asking questions but it was Lemon and Lemon wasn't out to hurt their little girl. "So if each kid is off doing their own thing what's really going on here?" She asked looking over at the couple sitting on the couch, giving them a smile.

"You act like I can't have friends," he joked in a sad tone.

Zoe rolled her eyes, gently smacking his chest. "I said no such thing, I just think there's a better way to make friends than to send your kids to egg their house," she retorted, glancing at her husband. "I am sorry for their behavior, sometimes this one forgets he's an adult with three kids and a wife," she told them.

"We were shocked to see such a thing; it was something we never heard about happening here, no stories of the sorts."

"It was part of the welcome to Bluebell your neighbor can be a jerk perk," Wade told them in a serious tone, he had invited them over so he could apologize personally and make it up to them. He had enjoyed spending time with them and they could easily become good friends, he liked them. "Not everyone can have the your beautiful, please marry me and have my babies package," he laughed placing a kiss to Zoe's warm cheek from blood rushing to her face.

"Ah each package is different then," David laughed in understanding. "We are sorry about the party; they normally don't pull things like that."

"It's fine, really. How old are they?" Zoe asks, snuggling into Wade, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Karmen is 14, Marty is 12 and Peter is 10," Annie said. "Bill had been able to get what few kids that had been there home, but for some reason they acted up, they are good kids."

"I think its more of the fact that they didn't want to move here, let alone anywhere, Chicago is their home and they're picking now to rebel," David said, putting his thoughts out there.

"I moved here from New York so I know how big of an adjustment it can be moving from a big city to such a tiny town, it's not easy and they had to leave their friends behind and that's not easy for anyone," Zoe told them, feeling just a little bit for the three kids.

There topic switched from the kids to many different things in the course they were together, talking and sharing stories. By the time David and Annie left they became friends making plans to have a low-key party together bringing both families together.

"I think you should do it," Zoe said that second the door was closed. "Braxton would like it, it'd be fun for both of you," she commented.

"I want to do it but he's at the age where I feel better asking him if it's something he would be interested in doing before signing the both of us up for it," Wade sighed, leaning his head on his wife's shoulder.

"What little boy wouldn't love shooting people with paintballs?" She questioned, her cheek resting on the top of his head. "But I do agree ask him first."

"I didn't mean to upset you with not asking Lemon what she had planned with Eliza, she showed up insisting she watch her for the afternoon saying we could use the small break, I didn't see any harm in it."

"It's fine, I'm not upset about Lemon taking her, I'm more upset that no one informed me or even asked me if I was okay with it," she told him her thoughts, letting him in.

"Next time I'll know," he promised her. She smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"You do know that she's using our little girl to bribe George into having babies, right?" She asked him.

"I didn't know that," he chuckled. "She is a sweet little baby; George wouldn't be able to say no." He found great joy in learning that his long time best friend was getting tortured at the little hands of his youngest. No better time to start acting like their father than now.

"Did Ruby and Henry say what they wanted with Ariel?" She questioned her mind going to her eldest daughter.

"Something about having something to show her, they were happy about it and they said they'd have her home after dinner. I didn't ask questions about what they had to show her because they said they'd explain once they brought Ariel home, they wanted her to see it first, I didn't see the problem with that," he said defending his own actions.

"That's fine, I just have to wonder what it was they had to show her, is all." Not wanting to drive herself crazy with what the possibility was she tried to push the thoughts out of mind.

"Is it cool if I stay over at Billy's house? " Braxton asked running into the house. "A bunch of us are going to camp out, so can I?" He asked overly excited.

"Billy's parents are okay with this?" Wade asked. Braxton nodded his head. "Get what you need and I'll walk with ya and have a chat with his parents, alright?"

"Okay," he agreed not all that happy that his dad had to talk to anyone but if he didn't agree too it he'd be the one missing out.

Braxton came running downstairs in record time and father and son were off, leaving Zoe to herself.

She found it weird that she didn't have to be running after a baby or dealing with the other two kids. The house was empty and quiet and she didn't like it. When the kids were home it could be crazy but the house was alive and it just felt wrong for it to be so quiet. Needing something to do she got up and cleaned up what little there was from their company barely an hour ago.

"Hello?" She asked, picking the phone up on her way past it, to wipe the coffee table off.

"Mom, can I please spend the night with Grandpa and Grandma, we're in Bluebell and I'll see you in the morning, so can I? Please Mom?" Ariel asked.

"Can you let me talk to your Grandma?" Zoe asked, sitting on the arm of the couch. She could hear muffling before Ruby got on the phone.

"Ariel said you wanted to talk," she said.

"What's going on?" Zoe questioned. "And don't tell me that I'll find out tomorrow, I need to know now."

"It's a surprise, really. We haven't even told Ariel all of it, but we're leaving tomorrow afternoon and we want to do a little more time with her. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I really need you to trust me on this. We trying to be better grandparent's than we were before, we're only asking for one night."

"You're right I have no reason to trust you and I know at some point it's going to be more than just one night you ask for, but for today I'll allow it, you both have been a help after everything and Ariel has a right to know you both and I won't take that away from her. Rammer Jammer tomorrow morning at 9?" She asked.

"Thank you, Zoe and we will be there."

"Okay, tell Ariel I love her."

"What's going on?" Wade asked walking into the house, seeing his wife hanging the phone up. She quickly filled him in on what was going on with Ariel. "Think we can talk George and Lemon into keeping Eliza for the night?" He smirked.

"Good luck with that," Zoe laughed. "If they say no, you can ask your mom, she's been bugging me about keeping Eliza for a night," she commented.

Wade pulled Zoe in wasting very little time in getting lost in a hot and heavy kiss. He loved all his kids greatly, but getting a night alone with his wife was priceless.


	26. Chapter 26

_**It seems that I'm good at forgetting holidays when it comes to this story. I've somehow skipped over Christmas and New Years again, sorry about that. The next chapter is going to be a little Valentines chapter.**_

 _ **To address the guest reviewer on the previous chapter, I personally don't have kids, just my niece and nephew's that I spend a good portion of each day with, and all my friends that do have kids are stay at home moms but looking it up I've came up with different lengths of time before a mother goes back to work but I read that it's normally 6 weeks when the doctor will clear you to go back to work some sooner and some do wait 3 months and some wait a bit longer. If I happen to have any of that wrong, I'm really sorry and please feel free to correct me on it.**_

 _ **And for Zoe she's only going in a few days out of the week and just for a couple hours in the morning and I'm sure she's able to do most anything while she's there, but I do know how father's can be at times and I have Harley just a bit more overprotective of her even if he knows nothing is going to happen, make sense? And nothing that I can think of, just more of them being father's more than anything else. And no worries about Henry and Ruby wanting to kidnap Ariel, that will not happen in this story, but it did however give me a great idea for a new story in which I already have some written for it.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

* * *

"One of these days, I will get you back for that little teasing act you pulled last night," Wade smirked, walking into the bedroom holding his very wide awake little girl in his arms as she looked around taking everything in.

"We'll see about that, baby," Zoe smiled, holding her hands out for her baby girl.

Wade had been ready to have a night in with his wife, but even he would miss his baby girl and Zoe felt the same way, she didn't want to spend the night away from her little girl. Teasing Wade was fun but when it came down to it she needed to have her baby at home with her, she just wasn't ready to be away from her 10 week old baby girl for a whole night quite yet.

"How sure are you that they'll show up with Ariel?" Wade asked, walking into the bathroom to start a shower.

"I don't think they're stupid enough to pull a no show with Ariel. They're smart people and they're going to do what's best. Ariel adores them and they've helped out a bit with everything and I want to believe that they'll be there," she said loud enough for Wade to hear her.

"I will hunt them down if they don't show up with Ariel. I don't care if they're blood related, they harm my daughter, I'll hurt them," he practically growled.

"I know, but calm down, we'll worry about it if they don't show up," she replied. "Oh Eliza," she cooed, pressing a tender kiss to her daughter's head. "Let's go get you dressed, baby girl," she smiled, looking down at her baby girl who had settled on looking up at her.

Zoe pulled a little outfit out of the dresser. She spent more time playing with her little girl, tickling her little tummy then she did on getting her dressed and ready for the day, when Eliza was all dressed, she sat in the rocking chair.

"I was wondering where you two vanished to," Wade smiled, entering the nursery to see his wife slowly rocking their little baby girl, who was babbling about something.

"Someone had to warn her on how crazy her father can be towards boys when she gets old enough," she giggled seeing the horror on her husband's face.

"Don't even joke about that, Miss Eliza will never date while she lives here, will you baby girl," he cooed, placing his pointer finger in her little palm, letting her wrap her little fingers around his.

"It's funny that you think that," Zoe smirked.

"Tell Mommy to hush it, we have an understanding, don't we, Eliza?" Zoe held her giggles in, her amusement written on her face. "Yeah, Mommy," Wade said in a small baby voice that made Zoe laugh.

"Alright," Zoe said, "let's go before you have her being a nun before her birthday," she told him getting up. "Want to get her stroller?" Zoe asked, walking out of the room.

"Of course," he called following behind his wife.

It was a beautiful day to walk the short distance to the Rammer Jammer, as long as they made sure Eliza had enough blankets to keep her warm as they walked. Wade had them walk past Billy's house to check on Braxton, but when they got to the house the boys were still sleeping, Billy's father was in the front yard picking up the mess from the boys.

Entering the Rammer Jammer it took them a few minutes to get from the door to any table as everyone that was in there wanted a chance to see how big Eliza had gotten. Eliza loved the attention babbling and cooing as each person talked and played with her. It was Wade that finally had enough and took his daughter and walked away without saying a word. He had looked around the place while everyone was paying attention to Eliza and he hadn't seen the three people that he was looking for and he was starting to worry and if he had Eliza in his arms then he would have a reason to stay calm and relaxed.

Zoe was the one that told them sorry as she pushed the stroller to where Wade was at. She looked at him wanting to know what it was about, but she could see that needing to wait on Ruby and Henry to bring Ariel back was starting to wear thin on him, so when he had a question of what in his eyes Zoe shook her head, understanding what her husband was going through.

"Guess what?" Ariel asked with an excited smile on her face as she ran up to her parents minutes later. "Grandpa and Grandma are moving here to Bluebell!" She exclaimed not giving her parents time to actually guess at what was going on.

"Say what?" Wade asked stunned at what his oldest daughter was telling them.

"They're moving here, they have a house and everything," she said, her eyes big with excitement. "They showed me on the way here this morning, its great isn't it?" she concluded with a question, the smile never once leaving her face.

"Uh yeah," Zoe said with a smile, conflicted on how she felt about his new development.

They had told her and Wade that they wanted to be better grandparents than they had been before, but she never thought they would move from the city to be closer to her. She liked the idea of it for Ariel since Candice had easily written them out of her life, but with something so huge like this it would have been nice to be told ahead of time. She knew that they didn't have to talk to her about moving there because she wasn't their child but it still would have been nice to be kept in the loop of things and not be blindsided with it all.

Ariel was the one to keep the conversation going as they ate breakfast, talking about everything that came to mind confusing the adults more than once about the things she was saying. When she finished her food she asked if she could and play with Braxton and a few others that were now outside up to something. Wade and Zoe let her go; she hugged everyone and took off out the door.

"You're really moving here?" Zoe asked, placing her glass of water down on the table.

"We are," Ruby told them. "We've missed out on so much because of our own stupidity, we just want to be given the chance to know our granddaughter," she easily explained.

"No ulterior motives about moving here?" Wade questioned, picking his little squirming baby back up. He wanted to believe that they meant no harm when it came to Henry and Ruby, but after hearing everything from his wife regarding them, he was finding it hard to fully trust them.

"No," Henry said shaking his head. "We want to be in her life. We made mistakes, but when you trust what your child tells you, you don't ever think that they are the one telling you these lies, you listen to what they're saying and that's what you go with, we didn't know Zoe or what kind of mother she was and now we know that she's an all around amazing mother," he told them sincerely. "And Wade you're an amazing father and everything you've done for Ariel proves just how great of a person you really are and how lucky all three of your kids are to have you both as parents."

"We're not trying to overstep our boundaries, but we want what everyone else has with Ariel. We want her to love and admire us as much as she does everyone else. We screwed up time and time again and we're truly sorry for that and we will make it up to all of you," Ruby said cutting her husband's words off. "We want to be in her life for us but more importantly for her, we don't want her to think we're some big disappointment, that we don't love her because we do. Moving here it's best for everyone and we won't ask you to change anything because of it. We will stick to the rules you laid out, until we've proven that we can be trusted and prove that we're not going anywhere," Ruby told them.

"Okay," Zoe says taking a deep breath. "One day at a time. I can't promise more than that," she told them. She could see that what they were doing was coming from the heart and it was something that they felt like they needed to do and she wasn't going to take away the bond they wanted with their only grandchild, she wasn't ready to fully trust them yet, though, that was something they would need to earn. "When do you move here officially?"

"The middle of next month," Ruby told them with a smile, the atmosphere around them turning from one filled with tension to a very relaxed one.

After that they were able to move onto more comfortable topics and enjoy the company they were given.

* * *

"Do we really trust them on the reason they're moving here?" Wade asked his wife as they were lying in bed later that night. His fingers strumming along her arm with her head resting on his bare chest.

"I want to and I don't think for a second that they would just move here to gain our trust just to steal her away from us," she mussed out loud. "Think about it, it could take years for us to even think about trusting them enough to keep her for a night again, she could be an adult before we ever fully trust them and by then it wouldn't really matter. Like they said nothing has to change," she sighed, letting her eyes close.

"It's not going to change, nothing is going to change. We both need to trust them before any of the rules we set are ever changed," he said lowly, not liking the thought of them coming into town just to swoop away his oldest daughter.

"I know, baby," Zoe mumbled, fighting the urge of sleep. "They're good people with a good heart that much I do know. I never agreed with what they did after Ariel was born, but it's in the past now and I've learned how to move on from that. Things are going to be okay, Wade."

"Maybe," he muttered under his breath. He wanted to believe what his wife was saying but he barely knew the two people in question, just heard the stories he's been told by his wife, he wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but he was having trouble making that happen in his mind. He liked them, the few times they had spent together, he got to know them and it was good, but that didn't mean he had to trust them when it came to Ariel, he didn't know if he'd ever be able to trust them.


	27. Chapter 27

"What is all of this?" Zoe asked with a smile, watching her husband walk into their room with a tray of food, and a single red rose in a vase.

"Can't I bring the love of my life breakfast in bed?" He questioned, placing the tray on the bedside table. "I love you, Zoe Kinsella, you've brought light back into my life, showed me that I was capable of loving again, you've given me two wonderful little girls, gave Braxton two little sisters and a life I could never picture before and I'll tell you, Doc, I was missing out," he told her, a loving tone to his voice.

"Oh Wade," she whispered, placing her hand on his cheek. "I love you so…" her words were cut off by his lips slowly moving against hers.

"Eat up, I have a whole day planned for us," he smirked, breaking the lip lock with his wife. She raised her eyebrow. "I know you don't want to spend the night without Eliza, so I planned things so I could spoil my wife on Valentine's Day," he informed her with a sly smile.

"Depending on what you have planned for the day, I think I might have the best husband in town," she retorted, taking the tray of food.

"You think I might be the best husband?" He questioned with a small pout.

"It might change later," she giggled, cutting a chunk of a heart shaped pancake and eating it.

"I feel the love, doc," he retorted with a happy smile, sitting next to her on their bed. She smiled feeding him a bite of her food.

Together they sat in bed, sharing the food he had brought up for Zoe, enjoying the peacefulness of the quite. All throughout breakfast she'd ask him questions about the kids, especially Eliza, she didn't want her baby girl to run out of anything while they were away from her. Wade assured her that Eliza was good and if she did need anything they wouldn't be that far away. Hearing that made Zoe question her husband on what it was he had planned for the day, but he gave nothing away, just telling Zoe to dress comfortable. After that Zoe didn't question it, she'd go along with whatever her husband had planned for the day.

Their first stop had taken them to Fairhope, where Wade had booked them an appointment for a couples massage, something Zoe found sweet. After their relaxing massage they had made a stop at a little flee market set up, they had taken their time to look around, wrapped up in each other's loving embrace. Once they left the flee market they headed back to Bluebell.

"You can't tell me that's all you had planned for the day," Zoe said, once Wade had the car turned off in their own driveway.

Wade chuckled shaking his head. "I promise you there's a bit more going on then the couple massage," he assured her.

"Then why are we back home for?" She questioned following suit of getting out of the car.

"Must you question everything I do?" Wade asked with a laugh. "Please don't answer that," he told her heading for the front door. "Just wait there while I grab something, okay?" She nodded her head, trusting and having some faith in her husband. She had enjoyed her day so far and he had yet to let her down, the day was only half over with and he had promised her a full day of things.

Wade quickly searched through his things looking for the one thing he had left behind. Smiling when he had the box he quickly stuffed it into his pocket as he walked through the house. He locked the door behind him, slipping his hand through his wife's as he led her off to the next stage in their day. He could sense that she had the urge to ask what it was he had to get, but she refrained from doing such a thing. He was actually impressed that she didn't ask anymore questions.

"The gatehouse, really?" She asked him with an amused look on her face.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, walking to the front door, pulling Zoe along with him.

"With my life Wade," she retorted in a duh tone. He nodded laughing to himself.

"Then trust me on this," he smiled, pushing the door open, holding it open for her after taking a quick glance around the place.

"I'm guessing a few favors were needed for this?" She questioned with a watery smile, seeing the table had been set for a romantic lunch, a dozen roses setting in the middle of the table, little black and white cookies in a heart shape on one side of the table. Wade shook his head, shutting the door behind him.

"I was able to get off work early last night, come here and get things set up for us today. I only had to make sure that Lavon didn't store anything in here and ruin my plans," he filled her in, pulling a chair out for her to sit in. "It's not a fancy restaurant or the most romantic meal…"

"I love it Wade," Zoe told him cutting off whatever else he was going to ramble on about. "You put so much thought into this whole thing and that means more to me than going to some fancy restaurant. You love me enough to do all of this for me and I'm very lucky that I have you, that you care this deeply about me," she told him with genuine love in her eyes for him.

"We are both very lucky," Wade whispered, leaning down to kiss her soft lips, his tongue gliding along her bottom lip. He slowly pulled away breaking the kiss, smiling down at his wife. "Later," he husked against her lips, pecking them once more before pulling away completely.

"If we must," Zoe whined softly, a smile on her face. "What do you have for us to eat?" She questioned, seeing Wade dig in the fridge. "Wade, they're cute," she giggled, holding a heart shaped sandwich up.

"I was going for cute, Zoe," he told her, placing the fruit on the table next to the plate of little heart sandwiches, grabbing the bottle of sparking cider from the fridge.

"It's perfect," she told him, catching his hand in hers.

"Hold that thought," Wade told her, pulling the box from his pocket.

"You've done enough Wade," Zoe told him, shaking her head. "You've out done yourself, I don't need anything else," she tried to tell him as he pushed the present closer to her.

"You saying you don't want what's in the box?" He teased. "I don't care about not getting anything today, the day holds no value for me, but it has reminded me that I may not show you just how truly blessed I am to have you in my life and I promise to work on that, in the near future. I have everything I could ever want with you, Braxton, Ariel and Eliza…"

"I feel the same way, Wade," she said, cutting him off.

"I know and this is me showing you that on our worst day, we'll be okay because we love each other," he told her.

She gave him a smile, slowly opening the box. Her curiosity getting the best of her, she laughed seeing just what was lying inside the box. She picked the necklace up amusement in her eyes. "What is this?" She asked him. It really was the last thing she had been expecting.

"My mom found it the other day when she was going through things, I made it in first grade for an art project, gave it to my mom because she was the only girl in my life that I loved, thought I'd give it to you because you're the only woman in my life that I love with my whole heart."

"Thank you, I think," she told him, her fingers playing with the old fishing tackle lures that had been used on a piece of string, but in the middle of the old lures sat a heart pendent with four little diamonds spread out on the heart, clearly showing her that he had modified it for her.

* * *

"Today had been lovely Wade, thank you," Zoe told her husband curled up into his side later that night in bed.

"You deserve it, Zoe," Wade told her, dropping a tender kiss to the top of her head. "You've put up with so much crap from all of us, dealt with things harder than the rest of us. You deserve more days like today."

"So do you Wade, not as pampered as you had done for me, but I'll make it worth your while," she retorted, her fingers drawing little shapes on his bare stomach.

"Everyday with you is worth it, Zo." She giggled lightly at his words. "What's so funny?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at her, finding her giggles were slightly contagious.

"You can't stop being cheesy can you?" She questioned, moving to look up at him.

"It's not cheesy when it's said with love," he retorted with a chuckle of his own. "I do love you."

"I would hope so after everything we've been through," she stated with a smile, earning a little chuckle from the man underneath her. "I love you more today than I did yesterday."

"Look who's being all cheesy now," he laughed.

"I can take it back," she teased, squirming a little when she felt his fingers lightly dig into her sides to tickle her.

"You wouldn't dare," he laughed, moving so he hovered over her. She smirked up at him when his fingers stilled.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she teased, moving to get up when Eliza's cries came through the baby monitor. Wade grabbed her hand pulling her back to quickly kiss her. Zoe smiled, quickly making her way to her baby girl. "Oh baby girl," Zoe cooed with concern feeling how warm her little one felt. Not wanting to risk her daughter crying again after Zoe had gotten her settled enough that a few quiet sobs came out; she walked back to her bedroom. "She's got a fever; want to hold her for a minute?" She questioned, handing Eliza over to Wade.

Wade wasted no time in taking his baby girl, gently rocking her. He placed a soft kiss to her head, feeling just how warm she was against his lips and he was freaking out, every thought of Braxton being sick at that age was gone and he was drawing a blank on what to do and seeing Zoe come back into the room he was put at ease, happy that he had married a doctor.

"It's going to be a long night, isn't it?" He questioned, walking around the room with Eliza in his arms. She'd fall asleep and the second Wade went to put her down she'd start to cry, if Zoe took her, she'd let little sobs out, it wasn't until she was in Wade's arm that she'd close her little eyes, he was afraid to actually sit down with her, not wanting to disturb her.

"Yeah it is," Zoe informed him for her spot on the bed. She wanted to be jealous that her baby girl didn't want her while she was sick, but she couldn't be, she was actually happy that Eliza felt that safe in Wade's arms. "That's what happens when our little girl becomes a daddy's girl," she smiled slightly, getting up to stand in front of Wade, her hand lightly massaging her daughter's scalp.


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm sorry for the delay with this chapter, but I couldn't figure it out. But the good news is I already have the next chapter started, so hopefully I can have that up either tomorrow or Thursday. Enjoy!**

* * *

"I can't believe our little girl is going to be 6 months next month," Wade marveled, making faces at said girl that sat on his lap laughing at her father. Wade would either kiss her little fingers when she grabbed at his mouth, or pretend to eat her little fingers. "And don't even get me started on the oldest girl tomorrow, one more year and you've got a teen girl on your hands," he stated with a smirk.

"We will both have a teen daughter and a teen son next year, Braxton turns 13 before Ariel, his birthday is only 5 months from now," Zoe corrected him watching his smirk fall.

"Don't remind me," he mumbled, feeling Zoe's hand against his arm, gently massaging his arm. He wasn't ready for his son to be that old yet, he wasn't supposed to grow up that fast, it really didn't feel like that much time had passed since he was holding his son in his arms after he was born. "Is everything done for her party tomorrow?" He asked, kissing his baby daughter's head softly.

"We have everything, you going to be okay in getting it put up while I take her into Mobile?" Zoe asked, running a hand through the little bit of light brown hair Eliza had.

"I don't see the problem on why I wouldn't, how long are you two going to be gone for?" Wade asked, making a face at his daughter, making her giggle.

"Not really sure, a few hours, I can call when we're on our way back," Zoe informed him.

"That sounds good," he smiled, his fingers lightly digging into the sides of Eliza, making her squirm and laugh some more, her little hands lightly smacking at Wade's arms. "Make sure to wake me when you leave in the morning," he informed his wife.

"I already do that," she replied, getting up and taking Eliza from Wade. "When will you be home tonight?" She asked, checking her baby's diaper to make sure it was still good.

"I'm not certain, I might have to stay late and close tonight, loosing Shelley to the flu has messed things up these last few days," he sighed, running a hand down his face. He had moved as many people around to cover Shelley's shifts but that left the late night ones and he couldn't get those nights sorted out so he took them over until Shelley was able to come back to work.

"If you call I'll make sure that I have some dinner left over for you," she told him.

"I appreciate that, but please Zo, I'll just grab a burger at the Jammer tonight, you have enough with getting the kids from your dad's place as it is, enjoy tonight with your dad and Norma," he told his wife.

"You sure?" She asked, looking down at him. Wade nodded his head pushing himself up from the couch, placing a gentle kiss to his little girl's head.

"I'm positive," he assured her, sharing a quick kiss with her. "Is Ma taking her today?" He asked, grabbing the diaper bag and the stroller.

"When doesn't she take her?" Zoe answered him with a question of her own, a smile on her face as they walked outside.

"True," Wade laughed, unfolding the stroller like a pro, placing the diaper bag in the bottom of the stroller as Zoe placed Eliza in the stroller to buckle her up. "When the kids come into the Rammer Jammer I'll make sure they get their work done and fed them a snack but not let them go overboard," he assured his wife.

Braxton and Ariel had gotten back into habit of going to the Rammer Jammer after school when Wade was there working. He made sure they didn't goof off a whole lot and that they got their work done if they had any from school, he'd give them a light snack to tie them over until it was dinner time. Fishing on Wednesday's was something they were trying to convince Earl to do once again, but so far they hadn't made it, school and after school activities were getting in the way and there were a few Wednesday's that Earl had to work but he promised that he would get them out fishing even if it did have to wait until the summer was upon them.

Once at the practice, Wade and Zoe said their goodbyes to Eliza. Jackie had been waiting on them for a few minutes saying she had been early. Zoe would go over and get Eliza when she was done with work. With a lingering kiss Wade and Zoe parted, Zoe getting straight to work with a packed practice filled with patients, Brick and Harley needing the extra set of hands for the day. Wade headed off to what he would soon realize would be a hectic day at the Rammer Jammer where one thing after another just kept happening keeping him busy and on the phone for a good portion of the day.

"If you don't eat the vegetables, if your mother asks tell her you did," Wade told his kids placing a little snack in front of them which consisted of a sandwich, vegetables, fruit and a small portion of chips. He was still in over his head and didn't have the time to watch or make his kids eat the vegetables that were on their plates. He did do his part in giving the kids their vegetables.

"Will do, dad," Braxton replied, eating a chip getting back to his history book.

"Thanks," Ariel told him, not even looking up from her English work.

Wade gave them a weak smile, shaking his head as he walked off ready to deal with the broken stove. He was going to fix it, he didn't know what was wrong with it, but he hated to call someone in to take a look at it. He was ready to cave and buy a new but first he wanted to know if it could be saved first.

He wasn't able to fix the stove and he finally broke down and made the call to see if it could be saved, he had a feeling that it might be easier and cheaper to buy a new one, but he'd wait and see. He got cleaned up and went behind the bar where he felt at ease and quickly relaxed getting back into the swing of the one thing he really enjoyed doing, letting himself get lost in it all.

"You guys should finish up and head over to your grandpa Harley's," Wade told them, coming over to get their plates, smiling when he saw that more chips where left than vegetables and fruit. "You can't be late," he stated making his point clear.

"We know," they called out in unison, getting their books put away. They waved at Wade and headed out.

* * *

"I do hope that it's okay if we head to the Rammer Jammer to eat," Norma spoke up, already knowing the plan from when she talked to Harley earlier in the day from when Zoe told Harley that Wade wasn't going to be making it for dinner.

"We don't mind, but why?" Zoe asked looking at her dad and her step-mom.

"We wanted to have Wade included and to us it doesn't matter where we eat as long as we're all together and we know he can take a few minutes and eat with us," Harley informed his daughter, seeing the smile that grew on her face.

"I think he would like that a lot," Zoe announced.

It was light chatter as they made their way to the Rammer Jammer to have their family dinner with Wade. It had taken her off guard when Norma had said something. They had eaten once or twice at both parents place without one or the other, it was a rare occurrence but it did happen when Wade or Zoe couldn't get away from work, sometimes they had to be the one to work late and they wouldn't cancel dinner plans with family because they felt guilty for doing such a thing.

"What are you guys doing here?" Wade asked with a hint of confusion. The dinner rush had just ended and he was more than ready to take a few minutes to himself and rest when he saw his family enter.

"Norma and dad decided we should eat here so you can join us," Zoe filled him in. Wade smiled, quickly taking his little girl from Zoe. "What happened to the window?" She asked with an amused smile. She knew what happened; she was the one to bandage up Chicken's arm.

"Don't ask," he sighed, not wanting to recall the incident with the Truit brothers. "Now that's one heck of an idea," he smiled, joining everyone at a table. Spending time with his family was so much better than taking that minute to himself. He listened as Ariel and Braxton told them all about their day at school, he smiled listening to what Zoe told them that Eliza had done during the day with his mom and he told them about his hectic day at work. He was more relaxed spending time with his family than he had been all day.

Zoe and the kids stayed behind after Harley and Norma called it a night and headed home. Ariel and Braxton had finished their school work already and they offered their dad a hand to help him out, letting him rest for a little longer. It wasn't until Eliza decided she couldn't stay awake any longer that Zoe rounded up Braxton and Ariel who were playing some sort of game on the counter using the condiments as goal posts. Neither mother nor father asked what it was they were doing.

The rest of the night things had gone a lot better than the day had for Wade. He was even able to close early and head on home, but his whole family was still out when he walked through the door. He checked on Braxton and Ariel. He frowned when he did so, not that anything was wrong with either one of the kids, but more so that soon enough they would be too old for him to be checking on at night, soon enough they were going to want their privacy and he was having a hard time trying to wrap his mind around that soon enough he was going to have two teens to be taking care of. He quickly smiled when he checked on Eliza, the last 5 months had gone by super fast for him where she was concerned but it was still slow enough that he was able to cherish each moment he spent with her.

"What are you doing up?" Wade asked, walking into his room to see that his wife was sitting up in bed, reading some romance novel.

"I couldn't sleep," she told him with a shrug, marking her page and setting it down on her nightstand. "You're home early," she commented.

"I was the only one there, figured it wouldn't hurt to lock up and head on home to my beautiful family waiting for me, I just figured y'all would've been asleep waiting for me to come home," he chuckled, crawling into bed.

Zoe smiled, moving to rest her head against his bare chest, her fingers softly running over his stomach. "Since I don't have to be up early tomorrow I figured I could stay up until you got home, I have missed you," she said softly, letting her eyes drift shut, feeling his fingers massaging her scalp as he played with her hair.

"I like the nights you do wait up for me," he smiled, moving to kiss the top of her head. "But I know you're tired so sleep, baby," he told her softly, his own eyes shutting. He laid there in the dark holding his wife, waiting for her to fall asleep before letting himself drift off to sleep.

The next day it was Wade that was waking Zoe up. She didn't want to get up, holding onto Wade tighter, keeping her eyes closed telling him she was tired and sleeping. Wade chuckled softly, he didn't want to ruin their little moment but soon enough Eliza was going to be waking up and Ariel was going to be up and ready to rush out the door for whatever Zoe had planned for mother and daughter on said daughter's birthday.

"You sure you can handle everything?" Zoe asked, collecting her things after she had finally managed to get out of bed, shower and enjoy breakfast with her family.

"Eliza tell your mommy that we have it covered," Wade said, turning his little girl to face Zoe. "My mom and dad are coming over to help out get things done and to help with Eliza, Jesse will be around later and I'm sure your dad will be here at some point, the same goes for Ruby and Henry and if all that fails I've got Braxton to help me out and we both know that he wouldn't do anything to ruin this day for Ariel because he wants to be around for his next birthday," Wade quickly explained. "You have nothing to worry about at all. Go and enjoy your Saturday morning with your oldest daughter," Wade told her.

Zoe smiled, bending down to kiss her husband and her daughter's little nose. "I have set her outfit for the party out but don't put it on her until right before the party so it doesn't get dirty," she told him.

"We've went over this already," Wade told her. "I've got it all covered. I know what to do here, Zo. Now go or I'll have Ariel come in here and drag you out the door," he told his wife.

"Okay, okay, I'm going," she smiled, kissing the both of them one more time before heading out of the bedroom to see Ariel was waiting outside for her. "You ready to go?" Zoe questioned, walking to her car.

"For like ever," Ariel replied, running to the car and getting in. "Mom?" Ariel questioned when they were a few miles away from Mobile. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sweetie you know you can ask me anything, what's going on?" Zoe asked, glancing at her daughter as she drove.

"Do you think dad would be okay if I went on a date?" She asked timidly.

"I know for sure he wouldn't be okay with that," Zoe told her with a light sigh. "Who's the boy?" She asked.

"Ryker," she confessed after a long silence. "Not even maybe like a group date?"

"I'm sure we can convince him of a group date. As in your brother's best friend, Ryker?" Zoe questioned, finding a parking spot at the mall.

"Does Bluebell even have another Ryker?" Ariel asked with a sigh.

"No," Zoe told her daughter. "Let me talk to your dad and figure it out."

"Braxton will be there if that helps," she quickly said, she'd do anything and agree to most anything if it meant that she could go out on a date. She really liked Ryker, he was sweet and funny and he actually talked to her even though Braxton made it clear that they couldn't go near her, they could be friends but he had promised if they ever tired anything he would hurt them, most of them stayed away barely telling her hi when she saw them in the hallway, she found it stupid as they were friends just the year before.

"I'm sure it will help, but let's not worry about that, let's go find some things to buy and enjoy our morning together," Zoe told her daughter, getting out of the car. Ariel sighed and got out of the car, ready to have some fun with her mom, before her party that night.

Most the stores they had went into they had bought something, they had to call it quits when they couldn't carry anymore bags. They hadn't spent a lot; most of what they had bought was on sale. Zoe smiled as Ariel had went on about Ryker, it was easy to tell just how big of a crush her daughter had on the boy, she wasn't so sure about Ariel going out on a date but a group date would be okay with her and she really hoped that Wade would lighten up enough to be okay with it as well.

"Why is Ryker making my little girl blush?" Wade asked, coming to stand next to Zoe. Their house had looked wonderful and just how Zoe wanted it to be. Ariel didn't want a theme for a party; she just wanted to have her friends and family there.

"Because," Zoe said, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist to keep him next to her. She didn't need him to go over there and make a scene in front of everyone embarrassing Ariel in front of her crush. "She has a crush on him and after watching them for the past few minutes, I think he has a crush on her and she wants to go out with him, but she is willing to keep it as group outing and she's even okay if you send Braxton with them for the little group outing," she told him. She decided that it would go over better if she kept the word date out of her explanation.

"I don't know how I feel about that," Wade commented. He didn't want to see Ariel dating because he felt like she was too young to be going out on dates with boys or even interested in boys yet. "How do you feel about that?" He asked.

"Sad because she's my little girl, but she's growing up and boys and crushes are involved in her growing up and it scares me, but I think it would be okay for her to go out with him with a group of people," she confessed.

Wade sighed, wrapping his arms around Zoe, his eyes scanning the scene outside to figure out where his brother had gone with Eliza. "Yeah, maybe."


	29. Chapter 29

"What is this?" Zoe asked, hiding her bright smile behind the bouquet of Sunflowers she was holding, looking around at their backyard. Fairy lights were strung up; a table cloth was placed over the table, candles lit in the center of the table, giving off a soft glow, it was stunning.

"We've been so busy with work, kids and everything else that we haven't had time for each other," Wade told her, lacing his fingers with hers to gently pull her over to the table. They've been working two very different shifts for the last two months. Wade had to take over working nights, not able to find anyone that could fill in the spot that had been left open when his nighttime bartender had moved away so he could be closer to his family and by the time he got home Zoe was already in bed sleeping. Zoe would work during the day leaving him home to take care of their little girl, not that he minded since it gave him some quality daddy/daughter time, he was learning that raising a baby girl was totally different than raising a baby boy, but he wouldn't change it, he loved both his girls and his son. However he was missing time with his wife, so he closed up early and finished getting everything in their backyard set up for a romantic dinner, just because they couldn't go out didn't mean he couldn't do something nice for Zoe.

"It's perfect, Wade," she told him, walking over to the table, watching as he placed the baby monitor off to the side before he pulled out the chair for Zoe. "Did you have the kids apart of this as well?" Zoe asked laying the sunflowers on the side of the table.

"I needed to find away for you to get out of the house so I could set this up and they did need the supplies for their school project they're doing," he confessed with a smirk, placing a plate of food in front of Zoe. It wasn't much, but it was short notice and he didn't have a lot of time to make anything fancy so pizza it was. "And calling you was the only way to assure that you wouldn't eat with the kids because I couldn't surprise you with all of this if you had ate already," he tacked on, sitting down across from his wife. "Hi," he told her with a smile.

"Hi," she told him with her ever growing smile. "Thank you for all of this but now I feel guilty that I haven't done nothing special for you," she confessed, looking down.

"Hey now, Zo, look at me," he said, getting her attention to be on him and not on the table in front of her. "You've done plenty for me. You gave me a family, you gave me a little girl that I absolutely adore, and I don't need for you to do anything special for me because you do plenty of things for me daily. I'd be lost if it wasn't for you," he confessed, getting his wife to crack the beautiful and stunning smile he loved to see cross her soft and plump lips.

"If you say so," she replied, licking her lips. She still felt bad and was thinking of ways that she could make it up to him without him ever knowing that she was doing such a thing. He had just given her a date night without ever having to leave their own home and it was sweet and thoughtful of him to do such a thing for her.

"I do say so," he smirked, pouring some wine into her glass. "I love you," he told her holding his glass up.

"I love you," she repeated his words her love growing even more for him, clinking her glass against his. "To us," she told him.

"Forever," he added on, taking a drink of his own wine.

Their night had been filled with laughs and lingering gazes as the night wore on and more wine had been consumed, it had been the first time since she found out that she was pregnant with Eliza that she had anything to drink and the alcohol had easily made her on the tipsy side of things. At some point after they had finished eating they had found themselves wrapped up in each other on a blanket on the ground looking up at the stars, other than a few giggles from Zoe when Wade would brush against her tickle spots the only noise that could be heard was the sounds of night time.

"We should do this more often," Zoe told him with a content sigh, her head resting against his bare chest after they had found their way inside to their room, consumed with each other.

"I wouldn't complain about adding more sex into our lives," he smirked, burying his hand into her soft brown locks, laughing when she smacked his chest.

"I didn't just mean the sex," she huffed. She couldn't fault him there though. She had missed feeling so connected to him, to be one with him. "I meant that we should make time out once a week for date night," she told him, her fingers lightly caressing the spot she had smacked him at.

"I like that idea babe, we need time for us," he said. "With the kids once again going away to summer camp we'll only have Eliza and it will be easier to have date nights this summer, but until then we can sit aside a day of the week for just us."

"I love our kids, I do but we need to have time for us or we won't last and our kids will be back to living in a broken home and I don't want any of that, especially losing you, Wade," she confessed, turning her head to look up at him. "I don't want us to be all about the kids that when they move out we have nothing because we lost each other throughout the years, that scares me, so much," she added on.

"We won't let them, Zo. I promise you that. I could never lose you, I wouldn't let that happen. We're more than just our kids Zoe," he assured her, pulling her up some to let his lips assure her of the things that he couldn't figure out how to say but wanted her to know. There was so much more between them then the kids. He loved all three of their kids but nothing was going to tear the bond of love that he and Zoe shared. They would last till the end, he would make sure of it because he would always keep fighting for her.

"Mmm, Wade," Zoe moaned breaking the kiss. "As much as I would love to have another round, it's late and we're only going to get a few hours of sleep as it is, we really need to sleep now," she told him, laying her head on his shoulder, her leg wrapping around one of his.

"Night Doc," Wade told her softly, pressing a kiss to her head, letting his own eyes shut. She was right and it was going to be hard enough to get up once morning did come.

* * *

It had taken quite a few cups of coffee for Wade and Zoe to be on full alert, but they were looking normal sitting around the table having breakfast with their kids before they had to leave for school, Wade eating his own food and trying to feed Eliza her baby cereal, it wasn't something that he got to do most days and he was more than happy when Zoe offered.

"Have you decided if I can go or not this Saturday?" Ariel asked between bites of her toast. "We're only going to the movie they're sitting up in town square, it's a group thing, Braxton is going to be there and everyone can see us, so it's not like we're going to be doing things we shouldn't be doing," she quickly explained.

"Besides Dad, you've never had a problem with Ryker," Braxton tossed in. He didn't really like that his best friend was crushing on his sister or vice versa but he had warned Ryker on what would happen if he hurt Ariel and he could tell that Ryker actually cared about Ariel. He just didn't want things to get awkward with his best friend when things didn't work out with Ariel, because he knew at some point things would end between the two of them for one reason or another.

"I like him because he's an alright kid," Wade said, wiping some cereal from Eliza's chin. "But when my little girl is involved," he started to say looking over at Ariel. "I'm cautious of all boys, even Ryker," he corrected.

"Please Dad, let me have this," Ariel begged.

"Why don't they come into the Rammer Jammer and eat so that way you can see before the movie that nothing is going on," Zoe suggested to her husband, picking Eliza up from her high chair to go give her a bath, now that she was done eating. "And we're going to be at the movie anyways so we can still keep a close eye on them keeping a safe distance," she added on.

"That's fine with me," Ariel quickly blurted out.

"And you're going to be with them the whole time?" Wade asked looking at his son.

"Yes and a bunch of our other friends," he assured his father once again.

"Okay you can go but I'll be watching," he told the both of them. He wasn't going to let Braxton off easy just because he was a boy. He didn't like that either one of them were starting to take an interest in the opposite sex.

"Thanks Dad," they called rushing out of the house so they could make it to school and talk to their friends before class started.

"I don't know if the kids or the parents have it harder with them growing up," Wade complained walking into the bathroom to see that Zoe was finishing up with Eliza. He held the towel open, wrapping his little baby girl up and carrying her into her bed room to dry her off as Zoe got the clothes and other little things that she needed to get Eliza ready for the day.

"It is new for all of us," Zoe said, grabbing the baby lotion, standing next to Wade. "It should get easier."

"I'll remember you said that," Wade chuckled. "I'll see you for lunch?" He questioned.

"We'll be there," she smiled, leaning into her husband to share a small kiss. She got busy getting Eliza dressed as Wade headed out to work. "What do you say about going to visit Uncle Lavon?" Zoe asked, lightly ticking her daughter making her laugh.

* * *

"Now isn't this just a surprise," Lavon smiled, taking Eliza from Zoe, making faces at the little girl making her laugh and swat at his face, going as far as pulling on Lavon's tongue, making Lavon laugh.

"Figured it's been a while since we've been around and Miss Eliza has been missing her Uncle Lavon," Zoe told him with a smile, walking into his house.

"Lavon can put off what he was doing to spend some time with his favorite little girl of Bluebell," he gushed, tickling Eliza's tummy.

Zoe went to ask Lavon how he had been doing when her phone started to ring. She frowned when she saw that Wade was calling her. She didn't know what could have possibly gone wrong between the time he had left the house and gotten to work. Answering the call and hearing Wade was in such a panic because Jesse had been in a panic when he called to inform his brother that Taryn had gone into labor. After getting Wade calmed down from his little panic attack that Jesse had put him in, she informed her husband that she would meet him at home and they would go to the hospital together.

"She's fine here with me," Lavon told Zoe, overhearing what was going on. He didn't mind spending the day with the little girl in his arms. He too had missed her over the last few days.

"You wouldn't mind?" She asked him.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I minded," he laughed. "I'll be just fine and if you're not back by the time school gets out, we'll go in and get Ariel and Braxton and I'll have them come back here and do their school work," he told her, practically pushing her out of his house.

"Okay, if you need anything you know where it's at," she told him, walking to her car and getting Eliza's car seat out for him just in case he needed it.

"Where's Eliza?" Wade asked, once he saw his wife but not his youngest kid.

Zoe quickly filled him in on that Lavon was watching her and that he would get the other two from school if they needed him too, on the ride to the hospital. Wade filled Zoe in on the fact that it shouldn't be too long before their little niece was going to be born because Jesse and Taryn had been at the hospital since late yesterday afternoon and Taryn didn't want to disturb anyone until she was about ready to start pushing her baby out. She didn't want everyone to be waiting at the hospital on her and the only person that she needed was Jesse and he was there with her.

They only had to wait around a half hour when they had got to the hospital; Jackie and Earl along with Taryn's parents, who had flown in from Oklahoma two weeks ago, were there when they had showed up. There wait seemed to drag on making it feel like they had been waiting all day instead of the 30 minutes it had truly been.

"Who'd like to meet the newest addition to the family?" Jesse asked, stepping into the waiting room. "Taryn's doing good, but she's sleeping at the moment, but if you follow me I'll show y'all the new precious bundle of pink," he grinned, hugging everyone as they told him congratulations. They followed him down the hallway to where the nursery was at. "I'd like for all of you to meet Kara Jane Kinsella," he said proudly, all eyes on the one lone pink bundle of a baby in the nursery at the moment.

"She's so cute," Zoe cooed, leaning into Wade.

"I do hope she grows out of looking like you," Wade teased, smacking his brother's arm lightly with his hand that wasn't holding his wife to him.

"Be nice," Jackie told her youngest son. "She is just so adorable," she gushed over her granddaughter. She couldn't have been happier, she had always wanted a daughter and never got one, but now she was blessed with three wonder and beautiful granddaughter's. "Now which one of you is going to give me another grandson?" She asked in a playful but serious voice.

"Give them time, Ma," Earl told his wife with a chuckle. "You did good, son," Earl told Jesse talking about Kara.

"Yeah, but it was all Taryn," Jesse said, smiling in at his daughter. "Wade and Zoe will have another one before I do, Ma," Jesse smirked, shoving his brother lightly.

"Is there something we need to know?" Jackie asked looking at Wade and Zoe.

"No because we're not pregnant or even thinking about having another baby, Eliza is only 5 months, can we at least wait until she's a year and then maybe we'll talk about adding another baby to the mix," Wade told his parents and his brother. Zoe nodded her head agreeing with Wade. She wasn't ready to add another baby into the mix yet, she wasn't sure if she wanted another one. They did have three kids as it was, she was just fine with the kids they did have, but she wasn't going to rule out the possibility of having one more kid, it was something they needed to talk about when the time came, but like Wade said, they were going to wait until Eliza was a year old to do so and she was just fine with waiting that long.

"She's beautiful but now when are you going to ask my daughter to marry you?" Taryn's father asked a playful smirk on his face, taking his attention off his only grandchild to look at Jesse.

"Harry now isn't the time for that," his wife scolded him. "She looks like her mother, but I can see Jesse in her as well," she stated.

Jesse visibly relaxed after the mention of him marrying Taryn was dropped, it wasn't like he didn't plan on asking her to marry him, he wanted to marry her but with her being pregnant with his daughter, he never found the right to time to ask her. He had bought a ring, before they knew she was pregnant, but he didn't want to ask after they found out because he didn't want it to seem like he was only asking because of Kara. He'd ask her in his own time when he felt like it would be the perfect time to make it special for her.

Wade and Zoe left with the promise that they would be back later so Braxton, Ariel and even Eliza could meet their baby cousin.

"I am sorry about my mom," Wade told Zoe on the car ride home.

"It's fine but I'm not ready to discuss having kids because right now I don't want another one, but in the future that could change" she told him.

"I feel the same way, Zo," he told her, squeezing her knee. He loved having his hand resting on her leg as he drove.


	30. Chapter 30

"You seriously need to cheer up," Zoe told her husband, coming to sit at the bar in front of him. She had just come from her father's place; he wanted to watch Eliza until after the movie was over with saying that a movie was no place for a movie and since him and Norma weren't going they'd be more than happy to watch their youngest granddaughter. How could Zoe refuse that?

"I am happy," he scowled his eyes never leaving their place they were locked on. He thought he had been okay to handle his daughter hanging out with a boy that she had a crush on and ever since they had came in after school, he had wanted to go over there and put Ryker in his place and tell him to keep his hands to himself. Countless times he would watch as Ryker would put his arm around his daughter and she would slightly lean in to him. When they weren't touching, they would be flirting and he didn't like it.

"No you're not," Zoe stated, glancing at the four kids, two of them that were hers. "I thought they were going to be in a bigger group?" She questioned turning her attention back to her husband.

"According to Braxton the rest of them will be meeting them at the movie," Wade grumbled. "I really don't like this," he whined, looking at his wife. "They're too young to be dating," he grumbled.

"I'm very pleased that you feel that way about Braxton as well and not pulling the whole stupid double standard when it comes to him, but they are growing up and it's bound to happen," she told him, reaching out for his hand.

"I know, I just have to deal with it," he sighed, playing with her fingers. "Yeah because that's fair," he retorted, shaking his head. "I don't like the idea of him go on dates either, he can get himself into the same amount of trouble as Ariel can, why would I be okay with that?" He asked his wife.

"Just remember that Ariel and Braxton are good kids and that Ryker hasn't done anything wrong so you have no reason to worry," she told him, glancing behind her to see who was sitting next to Braxton. "Is that Wren?" She asked looking back at her husband.

"That's her," Wade confirmed. "I guess whatever had went on with her and Ariel they had fixed it," he commented. "They haven't fought or anything like that since coming in here. What was going with them?" He questioned his wife.

"I don't know, Ariel never really told me, but it's good to see that they're getting along again. I just didn't think that Braxton would take an interest in her. He was so adamant about his friends not liking his sister and he goes and starts to like one of his sister's friends, I do find it funny," she mussed.

"It is on the ironic side of things," he replied. "I can't take watching them any longer, I've got to trust them and you said so yourself, we have good kids, so why don't we go take a walk and let them have at least a bit of privacy," he suggested.

"Who do you have spying on them for you?" She questioned with a smile getting up and holding her hand out for her husband. Wade easily slipped his hand into hers walking around the bar.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He teased, walking up to the table his kids were at. "Be good and we'll see you after the movie," he informed them.

"Have you finished your homework?" Zoe asked them, before Wade was able to pull her off before he lost his nerve in giving his kids a little room to have fun without him hovering over them.

"We did it yesterday after school, Mom, promise," Braxton told her.

"You best have finished it yesterday," she remarked. "Because if you didn't, you won't get to go out and have fun with your friends tomorrow," she finished, walking off with her husband. "You doing okay?" She questioned as they walked in no real direction whatsoever, just them alone and oddly enough she was okay with that.

"I have no reason not to be okay," he retorted. "They're growing up and I guess it's taking me just a bit longer to come to the realization that they are. It feels like just yesterday I was dealing with a baby Braxton that had been shipped home from the hospital and now he's practically on a double date with his sister."

"We've raised them as best as we could to this point and they're not going to do anything stupid, they're still coming to terms with all these new feelings inside of them and what they mean. You remember what it's like at the age, don't you?" She asked him.

"I would like to forget how awkward I was at that age," he groaned. Zoe from feeling how much of a discomfort it was to him couldn't hold her laughter in. "Hey now, I bet you weren't any better," he stated with getting his wife to stop laughing.

"It was weird and awkward and I thought I was going to die," she confessed. "But you couldn't have been that bad, especially with how you are now," she countered with.

"I don't even want to talk about it," he stated with a shutter, happy that part of his life was over with and he didn't have to go through it ever again. Talking to Braxton about it would be easier than having to deal with puberty all over again. "I bet you were really cute at that age," he winked.

"I don't know about cute," she responded, rolling her eyes. "But I'll take it," she smirked at him.

"What do you say we let the town keep an eye on what the kids at the movie, and we have an adventure of our own?" He questioned her coming to small lake.

"That's new," she said. "What made you change your mind all of a sudden?" She asked, she didn't mind, she trusted her kids and she knew that they wouldn't run off and get into trouble. They hadn't done so yet and Ryker and Wren were both good kids, she was afraid that Ariel and Braxton were the bad influences out of the four of them.

"I trust them to an extant but I remember being that age and I feel certain that they won't try to do anything and they do believe that we're going to be there watching them so they'll be too scared to try anything even as little as hand holding," he explained.

"What do you have in mind?" She asked him, questioning him further on if he was sure he wanted to skip out on the movie in town was for the best, she wasn't going to say anything to make him paranoid in thinking that their kids were more than capable of holding hands. She had her first kiss when she was Ariel's age and it was all sorts of awkward and she had already seen Ariel and Ryker holding hands, but she wasn't going to say anything, she didn't need her husband to get worked up over nothing, she herself thought it was cute.

"We need to cool down," he smirked pulling his shirt over his head, toeing his shoes off. "Thought we could go for a little swim," he stated wiggling his eyebrows at his wife as he undid his jeans letting them along with his boxer's pool around his feet. "You in?" He questioned in a teasing manner, stepping out of his clothes, pulling his socks off as he ran and jumped into the water.

"You're crazy," she called after him. She looked around, shaking her head. "I'm crazy," she muttered under her breath, stripping out of her clothes, leaving them in a pile next to his, jumping into the luke warm lake water. "We're married and have three kids and yet we're skinny dipping," she laughed, emerging from the water.

"We need to have a little fun as well," Wade smirked, pulling her close.

Zoe shook her head, dunking him under the water. Wade popped back up grabbing Zoe by the waist and launched her into the water. Nothing was wrong in letting go every now and again, they needed to have their own little fun, even if it was in ways that could get them into trouble.

* * *

"Do you think any of them would tell Dad and Mom if we split up?" Braxton asked his sister.

"You're really funny, Brax asking a question like that," Ariel laughed. "I bet you he as the whole town on spy duty for him," she suggested, looking around. "Mom I would like to think would've been okay with it but Dad, he's afraid to let us grow up, at least that's what I get," she tacked on with a shrug. "Not only will they find out if we split up but they're going to find out that it's only going to be the four of us at the movie because the rest of them bailed on us for some party," she reasoned with him. They too wanted to go to the party but they couldn't get out of going to the movie to go to the party and they weren't sure how to even ask their parents on if it was okay if they could go to a party.

"At least your parents care enough to keep an eye on you that you're not doing who knows what, I swear I could do whatever I wanted and my parents wouldn't even notice," Wren pointed out. "They've been too busy fighting about everything and anything that they have forgotten that I exist," she sighed.

"I'm sorry you're going through that Wren," Ariel told her friend. "What about your parents, Ryker?" She asked turning to look at her newly made boyfriend.

"As long as I'm staying out of trouble they don't care what I do, they ask and I tell them what's going on, but otherwise they tend to stay away, they've been through all of this before with my older brother so they're more relaxed when it comes to me, which is good because they were nuts with my brother," he laughed.

"Lucky you," Braxton muttered. "You guys want to get out of here?" He asked then, getting up.

"Where big brother do you have in mind in going?" Ariel asked, getting up as well. The center of town was being taken over by everyone getting things set up for the movie that night.

"My parents are helping in getting things set up for the movie, we can hang at my place," Ryker offered. The other three teens agreed and walked out heading in the direction that Ryker's house was at.

The walk to his house with filled with laughter. Braxton was holding Wren's hand; their connected hands were swinging between them as they followed behind Ryker and Ariel. Ryker had tossed his arm over Ariel's shoulder and she had moved closer to him smiling as they joked around. Braxton seeing how happy his sister was let it all go; it was all he could do because he wasn't going to be the reason on why his sister was upset and sad.

Braxton and Ryker got busy in playing video games and Ariel and Wren sat on the couch and gossiped about everything since they had gotten into a little fight over pretty much nothing. They had learned that it was stupid and they had missed each other more than anything else so they easily forgave each other and got back to being friends.

"Think you'd be willing to sneak out to go to the party?" Braxton asked the other three.

"I don't have to sneak out, my parents won't notice," Wren told them with a soft sigh. Having that much freedom should have felt liberating but she hated it; she wanted her parents to care about her.

"I can get out no problem," Ryker informed them, turning the game system off.

"I don't know about that, Brax," Ariel sighed. She wanted to do go to the party, their whole class and more were going to be there, but she didn't feel very comfortable in sneaking out of the house after her parents had went to bed.

"They won't ever notice," Braxton pleaded with her. "Please Ariel?" He begged her.

"I think it'd be cool, but I'd still be with ya if you didn't do it," Ryker told her with a shrug.

"If we get caught, I'm blaming you," she agreed looking pointedly at her brother. Braxton shrugged and they got busy on smoothing out the details for sneaking out of the house after their parents went to bed and where they'd meet up at once they were able to break free.

With what they had thought was the perfect plan they headed out to find the perfect spot to watch the movie. They had opted to sit on the ground near the front of the screen than in the chairs that had been set up. Ariel was sitting in between Ryker's legs leaning back into him, Braxton and Wren sitting next to them. They didn't even look around for their parents, they were going to enjoy the movie and worry about if they would be in any trouble when they got home after their parents found out it was only the four of them.

* * *

"How was the movie?" Zoe asked, not moving from where she was laying on top of Wade as they were cuddled on the couch watching a movie of their own.

"It was okay, it would've been better if the movie would've been in color and not black and white," Ariel replied with a shrug.

"It was alright," Braxton stated. "We're beat, night," he called out to his parents heading upstairs.

"Yeah, night," Ariel told them, following behind her brother, not waiting to see if they would be in trouble.

"Night," Wade and Zoe called after them.

"Think they're up to something?" Zoe asked, sitting up slightly to look down at her husband.

"When aren't they up to something?" He asked with a chuckle. "But whatever it is we'll figure it out in the morning," he said, turning the movie off. "Now that they're home, what do you say about that massage you promised me for watching your little girly movie?" He asked with a smirk.

"I think I'm too tired for that tonight," she smirked back getting up and faking a yawn.

"Yeah sure you are," Wade laughed, placing his hands on her hips as they walked to their bedroom shutting lights off as they went. "I will cash in," he promised her. She smiled, turning around to wrap her arms around his neck, standing on her toes to lightly peck his lips.

"I hope it's sooner rather than later," she husked into his ear, going to pull away from him, but Wade was quicker tightening his hold on her, bending down to nip at her neck, his hands sliding down from her hips to cup her ass, lifting her up.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Ariel asked her brother as they quietly snuck down the stairs. She still wasn't sure they should be sneaking out; she had nothing to prove and if Ryker didn't want anything to do with her because she refused to sneak out for a party than she was better off without him in her life as anything.

"I'm positive, they won't know anything, we'll be back before they're awake in the morning," he told his sister. "We need to have a little fun without them or the town watching us, Ariel. What's it going to hurt?" He asked trying to get his point across to his sister. "I'm not making you go with me, you can stay here and be the good little girl that you always are or you can come with on your own free will and have a little fun for once. Which is it going to be?" He asked her.

"Let's do this," she told him. She had assumed that when doing things behind your parents back it wouldn't feel right and that the struggle she was dealing with was always going to be there, but Braxton was right, she didn't want to be known as the good girl, she wanted to break a rule or two and have fun with her friends. Besides she didn't want to miss out on the party that everyone was going to be talking about all week at school, she wanted to be included in it as well.

Braxton smiled and continued on his way down the stairs making sure that the coast was clear. He had made sure to grab his house key before he left his room and he was certain that Ariel had her house key as well. As quietly as possible they had slipped from the house locking the door behind them. After getting a safe distance away from their house they started to laugh at how freeing it was to be breaking a rule, their parents never the wiser or so they thought.

"They really need to learn how to be a bit quieter when they sneak out," Wade laughed, his fingers running along his wife's spine.

"We'll make sure to tell them that when we have a little talk to them," she promised with a laugh of her own. "How do you want to catch them?" She asked with a twinkle to her eye. She had a feeling that her kids were going to break a rule or two, it was going to happen, she had done it herself. She was just starting to realize that catching them was going to be the fun part of it.

"This once I think we'll wait until breakfast to confront them, I'm too comfortable to get out of bed to catch them coming home tonight," he informed his wife, pulling her on top of himself. She smiled placing a kiss to his chest.

"I feel the same way."

Not that they had gotten any sleep until they had heard their kids coming back in while after 2 in the morning. They shared an evil look with each other, before sleep was finally able to take over.

Wade and Zoe had spent more than one day with very little sleep and a cup of coffee was able to help them along. Together they had gotten Eliza ready for the day, letting their two oldest kids sleep just a few extra minutes. Wade was holding Eliza when they went in to wake Braxton up, he had pulled his blanket over his head, mumbling that he was still tired and wanted a few more minutes of sleep.

"It doesn't work that way," Wade smirked, handing his little girl to Zoe. He then pulled the blanket from the bed. Braxton whined, burying his head under his pillow. "If you want to play it that way," he laughed, tossing the pillow to the floor before lifting the mattress up, dumping Braxton on the floor.

"What the heck?" Braxton yelled from the floor, eyes still closed.

"You have 10 minutes to be up and dressed and at the table for breakfast and if you're not there I'll be back to dump a bucket of cold water on you," father promised son as they walked out of the room going straight to Ariel's room.

"Ariel come on time to get up," Zoe told her, lightly nudging the bed.

"No, sleeping," Ariel replied, rolling over and pulling her blanket tighter.

"Okay then," Zoe responded, taking her blanket away from her. Unlike Braxton, Ariel had jumped out of bed.

"What is the meaning to this?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Breakfast in 10 minutes, we need to have a little chat with you and your brother," Zoe told her daughter, walking out of the room behind Wade. If she would have been more awake she would have been able to put things together in her head, but she just wasn't that awake or alert yet.

Ten minutes later sat two very tired looking kids.

"How was your night last night after going to bed?" Wade asked looking at his wife with a smirk.

"My night was good, got plenty of sleep, unlike our kids, so please enlighten us on what you had done after going to bed that kept you up until nearly 3 in the morning?" She asked the kids, taking a seat at the table next to Wade.

"It was 2 when we went to bed and we didn't do anything," Braxton mumbled out, laying his head on the table.

"You went up to bed at 10 but didn't fall asleep until 2; something must've been keeping you awake, Ariel?" Wade asked.

"Nothing kept us up," she replied, resting her head on her hand.

"We beg to differ, were did you two sneak off too last night?" Zoe asked, nearly chocking on her coffee from laughter when both kids jumped up trying to sputter out some kind of an excuse.

"You can save it, we heard you not only leave but come home. The next time you try to sneak out, be quieter on the way out the door," Wade informed them. "While you were gone for the few hours no doubt at a party, we came up with a list of things for you to do today and for the next two weeks while you're grounded," he informed them both.

"But," Ariel tried. Zoe shook her head.

"But nothing, you went out and you got caught before you ever left the house, now you get to pay up for doing it, you both have a list of things to do," Zoe said, handing both of them a slip of paper with things they had to do for the day.

"Not fair," Braxton huffed, getting up from the table.

"Think about that the next time you go around breaking rules," Wade told him. "Come on Miss Eliza, let's go play," Wade cooed at his baby daughter, walking outside.

"I wouldn't sit around for long, those chores aren't going to do themselves," Zoe told them, taking her coffee outside.

Ariel glared at her Braxton, as much as she wanted to put all the blame on him, she couldn't because she had went out on her own, no one made her go out. She grabbed her list and looked through it to see what would be the easiest thing for her to do.

Not only was it going to be one long day but two very long weeks!


	31. Chapter 31

It had only been a few days into Ariel and Braxton's grounding and they still didn't like it but they had sucked it up. Ariel had just finished her chores which she had got right to doing after she had finished her homework. She couldn't wait for school to be done with and for her grounding to be over with.

"Can we uh talk?" She asked her parents, joining them in the living room.

"What's going on?" Zoe asked, looking at her oldest daughter from the floor where she was playing with Eliza.

"If you're here to ask us if you can be let off easy, it's not going to happen," Wade informed her, looking up from the work he had brought home for the Rammer Jammer. He had kept putting them off and it was last minute for him and he didn't want to be stuck in his office instead he opted for sitting in his living room where he could spend time with his family. It was taking him longer that way, but he was quite okay with that. "You messed up and did something that you shouldn't have done, if you would've asked you wouldn't be in trouble to begin with. Letting you off isn't going to help teach you anything." He really didn't know if they would've allowed their kids to go to a party but it would've went over better if they would've asked and not broke any rules.

"I'm not here for that," Ariel told them shaking her head. "It's about something else," she said with a small sigh. It had been bugging her for a few days now; she really had to work on the whole feeling better about not telling her parents every last detail about her life especially if it was going to get her into more trouble.

"This sounds like it's going to be serious, do we need to be worrying about getting a phone call from school or elsewhere?" Wade asked, dropping the pencil in his hand. He was more than happy to be given a reason to stop what he was doing. The numbers were starting to give him a headache.

"No phone call, not that I know of anyway," she responded. She took a deep breath. "Remember the movie?" She asked her parents, chewing on her lip. Zoe and Wade shared a look having an idea on where this was going to go. "I thought I would be okay with keeping it from you but I can't do that, our friends bailed on us and it was only the four of us at the movie, but nothing happened," she quickly added on, not wanting to give them another reason on why they couldn't trust her.

"You lasted days longer than Braxton did," Zoe informed her. Ariel looked at her parents shocked. Braxton hadn't said anything about telling their parents about their friends not showing up; it would've been nice if he had done such a thing so she wouldn't have had to feel guilty about anything. "I'm happy that you did come to us with this bit of information."

"Even if you should've told us that night," Wade tacked on to what his wife had said. He wasn't even going to say anything about a few different concerned Bluebellian's that said something to them wanting to know what was going on with Ariel and Braxton. "But we can't exactly punish you for your friends bailing on you, unless you have more to tell us that Braxton had left out," Wade stated looking at Ariel waiting to see if she had something more to add.

"Nothing happened," she repeated again. "But um," she sighed debating on if she wanted to tell her parents that Ryker had asked her to be his girlfriend and the movie was their first date. Deciding it was better to be honest with her parents she went ahead and told them.

"I'm disappointed that you thought you couldn't tell us that sooner," Zoe said, before Wade could say anything about the matter. "Having your first boyfriend is such an exciting time and it can be scary."

"I wanted to tell you I did, but Dad goes completely nuts everything time I talk about a boy that isn't family," she responded with.

"I'm happy for you," Wade spoke up even if he didn't like the turn of events, but it was something that was going to happen sooner rather than later. And ever since her party when he had watched the two of them flirting with each other he had been preparing himself for this moment. "Even though you're grounded I think we need to have him over for dinner tomorrow night so we can get to him not as your brother's best friend but as your boyfriend," Wade informed her. There was no way he was going to be able to hold off for over a week to do this dinner with his daughter's newly made boyfriend.

"Okay, I'll tell him tomorrow at school," Ariel announced getting up, going straight to her room to find a book to read, everything else had been taken away from her. She was nervous about the following night, she didn't want Ryker to second guess himself on what he was getting into by being her boyfriend but there was no way she could make everything go as smoothly as she would like it go, she could only hope for the best.

"What's with you?" Braxton asked seeing his sister pass his room with a pale look on her face.

"You could've given me a heads up on telling Mom and Dad about our friends bailing on us at the movie," she retorted, standing his doorway. Braxton shrugged, the thought hadn't crossed his mind, he just knew that he was already in trouble and he didn't want to keep anything from them that would put him at risk of being grounded even longer. "But I told them about Ryker and now they want him to come over tomorrow night for dinner."

"Good luck with that," Braxton laughed. "Dad's one thing when Ryker was just my friend, I can't even imagine the questions he's going to ask Ryker now that he's dating you," Braxton told her through a few chuckles. "You best hope that Ryker doesn't change his mind on being with you after Dad's done with him."

"Yeah thanks for that, Braxton," she barked at him. "It was bad enough when they were thoughts in my head," she hissed stalking into her room, shutting the door behind her. She picked a book up hoping that would do the trick in keeping her mind from any thoughts of Ryker breaking it off with her.

* * *

"I'm really proud of you," Zoe said looking up at her husband with a proud smile on her face. "I was thinking that you would make her end things with Ryker," she confessed.

"The thought has crossed my mind, but you saw that little happy grin she was wearing when she told us and I would feel like the worst dad in the world if I made my daughter sad that she had to break up with a boy. It's something that I need to get use to," he told his wife.

"Just promise me that you won't try to make him break it off with her tomorrow night," Zoe said shooting him a look. "Because if you do, you're going to be in the dog house," she informed him.

"We don't have a dog," he smirked. Zoe didn't find it very amusing. "I promise I won't. The last thing I need is a wife pissed at me and a daughter crying her eyes out and swearing to whomever that she hates the father she's stuck with," he promised his wife.

"Maybe we should get a dog so that way when you mess up you can sleep in the dog house and the dog can sleep in your spot," she teased him, turning back to her daughter, who was babbling away when she wasn't chewing on a toy.

"You're really funny," Wade deadpanned, going back to his work. "You really mean that?" Wade asked a heartbeat later. "You'd let us get a dog?"

"I was never opposed of a dog to begin with," she informed her husband. "But everyone would have to agree upon the dog that we rescue, that is if the kids want a dog."

"All kids want a dog," he replied.

"No, not all kids want a dog, maybe some sort of an animal, but not always a dog or even an animal," she informed him.

"Didn't Ariel want a pet when you were living in New York?" He asked his wife. "Braxton would never shut up about wanting a dog; we just didn't have the room for a dog." Zoe shook her head, Ariel had never asked for any kind of pet when she was little.

With that being said Wade got back to finishing off the work that was in front of him as his wife sat on the floor and played with their little girl. He smiled as he listened to the two of them talking on the floor having their own little conversation on just about everything. He loved his family and a dog or no dog wasn't going to change how perfect he thought his family was.

* * *

The following night saw Ryker over at their house, a nervous wreck. Not that Braxton had been helping him keep his calm. Ariel was trying to assure him that everything was going to be okay but she was having a hard time trying to believe it as well.

"Dude would you just shut up," Ryker hissed at his best friend. "I do hope that when your parents have Wren come over as your girlfriend that I get to be here to see how well you are holding up," Ryker told his friend with a smirk. "This is a big deal and I'm freaking out as it is."

"Dude you really do need to relax, my dad likes you already," Braxton told him with shrug, not even wanting to think about that happening, because he was in no hurry to be making Wren his girlfriend, he liked what they had going on between them and he didn't even know if she wanted to be his girlfriend.

"Yeah as your friend but not as my boyfriend," Ariel hissed at Braxton. She really wished that Braxton didn't have to be there he was making matters worse than they needed to be. Meeting any parents had to be nerve wrecking and Ariel was happy that she had yet to met Ryker's parents as his girlfriend, her parents were bad enough and she didn't know if she was going to survive the night and she couldn't even imagine how Ryker was holding up.

"She has a point," Ryker said not sure if he should hold her hand or just keep his hands to himself. He was feeling awkward and out of his element.

"Whatever," Braxton mumbled walking out of the room.

"I am sorry about this, I really didn't think they'd want you to come over the second they found out," she told her boyfriend.

"It's fine really, I knew it was going to happen and for the most part I do know what to expect so it's not that bad, I'm just making it a bigger deal than it really is," he told her. "Can I hold your hand?" He asked shyly.

Ariel smiled, slipping her hand into his. "I think it would be okay," she told him.

"They are cute together," Zoe said, watching from afar, Wade standing behind her.

"Maybe," he said with a sigh. Ryker was being on his best behavior and from what he was seeing so far, he couldn't argue with his wife. Maybe he didn't have anything to worry about. He quickly shook that thought from his head; he had a lot to worry about when it came to Ariel and dating. "We should really get in there and break that up," he stated, determined to do just that, when Zoe was pulling him back into the kitchen.

"We're going to leave them alone," she told her husband, giving him a look that meant business. "Dinner is about done with and then you can ask as many questions as you want, but you're not going to go overboard and ask him questions about his future and what he's going to be doing with his life because at that age not everyone has their mind made up on what they're going to be doing in life, we clear?" She asked him, using a cooking spoon to point at him.

"Yeah I got it," he replied with a smirk. "But if I don't, that mean you're going to use that spoon on me?" He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"I can't deal with you," she told him laughing, going back to stirring the sauce.

Everyone sat around the table, Eliza sitting in her high chair between Wade and Zoe both of them taking turns in feeding their little one, Ryker was seated between Ariel and Braxton. So far conversation was spent talking about what they had done at school; laughs were easily going around the table as stories were shared. Ariel and Ryker were feeling comfortable by the time dinner was coming to a close.

"I have to ask when we're going to be doing this with you Braxton?" Wade asked, watching his son's face fall for a second, before he started to act like he didn't know what his dad was going on about. "We see how you act around Wren," he pointed out. The idea of his kids being in relationships still scared him, but he was coming around to it all and with Ariel being with Ryker it was only going to be a matter of time before Braxton got the courage to ask out Wren because everyone could see just how big of a crush he had on her.

"We would you just leave him be?" Zoe asked, wiping the food from Eliza's messy face. "Put your dishes in the sink and you can go," she told Braxton. He didn't waste any time in making sure it was okay, before he was out of his chair his dirty dishes in the sink and he was up the stairs in his room.

"I have two very important questions for you Ryker," Wade informed the boy that he had always liked until he started to date his little girl. Ryker swallowed hard, nodding his head. "What are your intentions with my little girl?" He asked, leaning on the table.

"My intentions?" Ryker asked him. Wade nodded his head. "I don't know what you want me to say or what you think my intentions are, but I like Ariel, she's a cool girl and I really like spending time with her. Other than holding her hand and being there for her like a good boyfriend should be I don't have any intentions," he explained.

Wade nodded his head excepting that answer. "You really want to date her? You're not using her for any reason?"

"Dad that was three questions," Ariel pointed out with a smirk on her face. So far it wasn't as bad as she had thought it was going to be. She didn't know what to expect but she had actually enjoyed the night and hearing what Ryker was telling her parents made her feel all giddy.

"I'd be nuts not wanting to be with her," he responded to the first question, his hand seeking hers out under the table in a bold move. "I really like your daughter, I have no reason to use her, I don't have anyone to make jealous or even hurt. I'm with Ariel because it's what I want and I don't have any intentions of hurting her either," he told them being completely honest.

"Why don't you two go hang out in the living room until it's time for Ryker to leave," Zoe suggested, letting them off the hook.

"Okay," Ariel said, getting up and taking her dirty dishes to the sink, Ryker doing the same thing following behind Ariel. Both of them happy that it had actually gone a lot better than they had thought it would have went.

"I don't know how long I can trust him for, but for now, I think I'm okay with him being with her," Wade informed his wife, taking his and her dirty dishes to the sink. Zoe smiled, getting up to wrap her arms around her husband's waist.

"I can deal with that," she smiled, standing on her toes to press her lips against his. Before they could get lost in their kiss, their youngest one was calling for them, not liking that she was left by herself.


	32. Chapter 32

**I'm happy that you all have been enjoying the quick updates over the last week, but sadly after this update I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to post again. Tomorrow is the last day of school so starting Wednesday instead of one kid to watch I'll have three and it's going to be a bit harder to write and focus, but I do promise that I won't keep you waiting long. Enjoy!**

* * *

Two weeks later found Zoe with a day off, she had convinced the whole town to help her out with a little surprise for Wade and they had kept their promise on not telling Wade what it was. Jackie had Eliza, she couldn't pass up a moment to help when Zoe had explained things to her, she knew just how much you needed to make time for each other and how hard it could be at times. They had days off together and when they would make plans to do something one of them had to go into work and the rest of the time they were sharing a kiss at the door as one would be coming home and the other one was heading out to work and Zoe had enough and came up with a plan.

She had still felt bad that she had been so busy with work and the kids that doing anything nice for Wade had been pushed away. She was part of their marriage and she couldn't leave it up to Wade to do everything, she could plan a perfect date that Wade would love, he had been picking things that she would like and it was time to turn the table in favor of Wade.

"What are you doing here?" Wade asked looking up from where he was wiping some table downs. He knew how ridiculous the question sounded once he had said it. She often came into the Rammer Jammer just not so early in the day.

"Can't I come in and see my husband for no reason?" She questioned with a smile, kissing his cheek lightly.

"Don't you always?" He asked with a smirk. "I just thought that you were going to be busy with our youngest one today, speaking of which where is she?"

"Your mom has her; do you know hard it is to keep her away from Eliza?" She asked with a small laugh.

"You were told that when you first met her that she always wanted a daughter, she loves Ariel like her own but there's just something special about Eliza," Wade told her.

"I know and I don't mind, it's nice to be able to clean the house without working around Eliza," Zoe told him softly. "Think you can get away now?" She asked hiding her smirk.

"I don't know," he sighed. He wanted to go off with Zoe but he couldn't just leave work no matter how much he wanted to do such a thing. The place wasn't that busy and he figured it won't hurt for an hour but he couldn't stay out later than that.

"We got everything covered here," Wanda told him. "Now go enjoy the day with your wife and we'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning." He went to protest but with one look from the redhead; Wade smiled and walked out of the Rammer Jammer with his wife.

"What are you up too?" Wade asked, his arm going around her shoulders to pull her close to his side as they walked.

"I'm not up to anything," Zoe replied, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"Let's see here, you pulled me from work, Eliza is with her grandmother, something that doesn't happen when you have the day off, you have this little smile that wants to come out that tells me other wise, so again I ask what are you up too, Zo?" He asked giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"For you to find out when we get there, but until then don't ask again because I won't say a word," she smirked at him.

"You do know that it's not going to bug me as much as it bugs you right?" He asked with a chuckle, lightly kissing the top of her head. She pouted making Wade laugh even more. "I can always pretend if that makes it better," he suggested quietly.

"Thanks for offering but you don't have to do that," she assured him. "Just get into the car," she told him, when they had made it back home.

"Out of curiosity how long have you had this planned?" He asked getting into the car. It felt weird not to be the one behind the wheel. Whenever they went somewhere that involved taking the car he was the one to drive, so to be on the passenger side of the car had him feeling like he was out of place.

"A week at the most," she told him, getting in behind the wheel. She could've had Wade drive and tell him where they were going without giving anything away but she really didn't mind driving and today was about making the day about Wade since he made most days about her. The second she had seen the event being advertised she knew that Wade would like it, but it wasn't until a week ago that she had started to plan things because when she first saw it a month ago she didn't know how hectic their schedules were going to be.

"That makes me feel very special and loved," he told her with a smile, reaching over to place his hand on her knee, without needing his hands on the steering wheel he was lost on what he should be doing with his hands. "Would you mind if I drive on the way home?" He asked then.

"Do you really feel that weird and awkward over there?" She asked with a laugh.

"You could say that," he mumbled. "It's very rare for me not to be in the drivers seat when I'm in a vehicle, I feel weird sitting over here."

"The driver's seat is all yours on the way home," she told him with a smile. "I was thinking that we could take a summer trip this year after the kids come back from summer camp," she informed him. It was the kids last week of school and then they would be headed off to summer camp like they wanted to go to once again.

"I think that's a good idea, we'll have to discuss things with the kids and figure out the one place we can all agree on that isn't going to make us go broke." Zoe nodded her head in agreement.

They had made small talk the rest of the way to Fairhope. Zoe had parked the car a few blocks from where they would be spending their afternoon, first she was treating him to lunch at a little retro style diner that had just opened up three months before hand and Wade had wanted to come check it out, she figured it would be the perfect place to stop at.

"Are you trying to spoil me?" Wade asked with a small smirk, pulling the diner door open and holding it for Zoe to enter first.

"That is the plan," she responded, taking his hand in hers, smiling at him.

"I think I'm okay with that," he replied, leaning down to let his lips slid against hers in a brief kiss.

They sat at a booth rather than at a table or the counter. They sat across from each other, their feet playing underneath the table. They took their sweet time talking about work, the town, their kids and everything else that came to mind, nothing was off limits. Laughs were on short supply as they sat there enjoying their afternoon date.

"What else do you have planned for the day?" Wade asked, holding the door open for his wife once more as they walked out of the cool air-conditioned diner into the hot afternoon sun. He knew better than to protest Zoe on buying their food, he didn't want to start a fight with her after she had went through so much trouble to get today worked out for them. After all it was their money and he had no problem with Zoe buying lunch for them.

"Just one final stop, but it's going to take us hours because I really don't think that I'm going to be getting you out of there until we're the only people left," she told him, lacing her fingers with his, pulling him along to the next thing that she had planned.

Wade went to question her on what she was talking about until he saw the sign for the car show. A grin took over his face. It was something he wanted to come too, the last time he had gone to a car show was before he was with Zoe when he had taken Braxton for some father/son bonding time. He had always planned on coming back but he never had the time to do such a thing. "You really put a lot of thought into this didn't you?" He asked his wife, his eyes scanning over what car he wanted to start with.

"Very little thought went into this," she told him. "I just know my husband," she added on not liking the way the first part had sounded when she said it out loud. "A lot of work went into making this day happen, the whole town knows."

"Why the whole town?" He asked bewildered on that one little fact.

"You know those people. I needed your mom to watch Eliza since everyone else had to work. I needed Brick and my dad to let me have the day off and I need the people you worked with okay with letting you leave today and that was more trouble than it should have been, I swear everyone needs a favor," she sighed shaking her head. "Just know that I love you and the next time I want to get you out of work, I'm calling in with a fake problem," she informed him, it would be easier that way. Wade laughed, pulling her in for a hard but yet a very tender kiss rolled into one. Zoe smiled, gently pushing him to go on.

"That might be the better option of the two," he stated, pulling her behind him.

She only shook her head, letting her husband pull her off. She didn't know anything about the cars other than some looked pretty and some were just plain ugly, not that she would say that out loud. She didn't say much when Wade would stop by a car and drool over it. She would be polite and nodded her head with whatever Wade was going on about. More than once they had stood talking to the owners of each car.

"Thank you for today, even though you didn't have to do it," Wade told his wife on the drive back to Bluebell in the dark.

"You're welcome and I did," she told him, resting her hand on his knee. "You do so much to make me happy and plan dates that I'm going to like, at the very least I can plan a date where we do something you like and seeing you geek out over the cars, it was rather cute," she told him with a smile.

"It was nice to do something that wasn't girly," he smirked, wrapping his fingers around hers on his lap. He'd keep doing the girly dates for his wife, because he loves making her smile and surprising her.

"Don't get too use it," she warned with a smirk. She'd have to find something else to do for him at a later date, because she really enjoyed watching him turn into a little boy around the cars and get so excited over something that didn't relate to family.

"I'll be able to persuade you later tonight," he smirked, bringing their joined hands up to his lips, his teeth lightly grazing over the back of her hand.

"Persuade away," she giggled.

The last of the car ride home was filled with flirting as they teased each other on what they were going to do. Wade was going to head over to his parents house tomorrow morning when he got up to get Eliza, time had been lost on him as he went from one car to another and he didn't want to disturb his youngest daughter. Since it was a Friday night, Braxton and Ariel were going to be spending the nights at friend's houses since they were no longer grounded, so for the first time since in a long time they were going to have the house to themselves. Or so they thought.

"What's going on?" Wade asked seeing Sheriff Bill pull in before they even had the front door unlocked. Walking to the squad car he could see his two oldest kids in the backseat. "What did they do?" He asked a hint of disappoint in his kids seeping out. Some of things he had done when he was younger flashed before his eyes and he didn't like it one bit that they could've done any of those things.


	33. Chapter 33

_**This chapter really wasn't supposed to turn out this way. It was something that I hadn't thought about doing but it fits and it flowed so much so that I just went with it. Also I promise that I'm not going to be abandoning any stories this summer, I'm going to try my hardest to get updates hopefully twice a week for each story I have going if not twice at least once a week. Enjoy!**_

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Wade yelled his anger simmering at the kids. Of all the things they could've done. He knew things could've been worse and he was happy that they weren't, but he couldn't get over them being brought home in the back of Bill's patrol car.

"It was just some innocent fun. We are allowed to have, aren't we?" Braxton asked with a sarcastic undertone. He really didn't see the problem; they weren't doing anything they shouldn't have been. Wade was ready to yell at his son for using such a tone but Zoe had cut him off which really he was thankful for giving him a moment to rein his anger in.

"Of course," Zoe tells them sweetly, "But not when it leads you to be brought home by Sheriff Bill," she said her voice growing stern with her words. She had tried to put herself in their shoes but she couldn't do it. She acted out as a kid, but never had she been brought home by the police at any age.

"It wasn't even that bad," Ariel protested. "We weren't doing anything, just back talked the Sheriff, it was all in good fun." She really didn't understand why they were making the whole thing a big deal for.

"Good fun that warranted a ride home in the cruiser?" Wade questioned. "It was more than you guys doing nothing. What happened with spending the night at a friend's house?"

"They were there too. We were hanging out by the river, having a bit of fun. Nothing illegal was going on," Braxton sighed, explaining things once more. "Seriously don't you remember having fun at our age?" He asked sarcastically.

"Of course I do," Wade snapped back.

"Then why are we being yelled at because we broke curfew?" Ariel asked feeling outraged.

"It's not about breaking curfew, Ariel. It's about the fact that both of you thought it was okay to back talk not only an elder but an official, both of which you know that you need to show your respect too," Zoe informed them.

"Bill needs help around the office and that's what you will be doing until you leave for summer camp if we decided that you should be granted the privilege in going this summer," Wade stated dismissing them.

They had grumbled going upstairs. It could've been worse that much they knew. If they wanted to go back to camp they'd have to behave until it was time to go, they had fun the previous summers and they did want to go back and see the friends they had made while there.

"So much for a night alone," Zoe sighed, leaning into her husband.

"We've got the summer," Wade said hopeful. He knew there wasn't much for kids to do around town with it being such a small town as kids grew, he too found himself breaking curfew and doing things that he shouldn't have done, and he had been brought home by the sheriff, but for it to be his own kids, that scared him because that was one life for his kids he hadn't ever thought about, but now he couldn't stop thinking about picturing them in a squad car.

Zoe nodded, getting up. It had been a long day walking around looking at cars that she knew nothing about but well worth it seeing the excitement on Wade's face and even more exhausting when they had made it home. She was happy that the kids hadn't gotten into too much trouble, she really didn't care that had been out late, it was Bluebell and the possibility that nothing would happen to them was wonderful, she didn't want to risk it so she did agree with the curfew but they really hadn't been harming anything. But they were like their parents very opinionated at times and she couldn't fault them for that, but she had taught them to respect their elders. They didn't need to be showing off for friends.

"At least they keep things interesting," Zoe responded, practically falling into bed. "Could you imagine our lives without them?" She questioned, moving into him when he joined her in bed.

"If it wasn't for them, there is a good chance that we might not even be here, you might not even be in Bluebell or you would've had a reason to stay in that city of yours. I really don't like thinking about our lives without our lovely kids," Wade quickly told her not liking the very possibility that he wouldn't have his wife or that his life wouldn't be as good as it was with the ones he loved.

"Best doctor in New York had been a lifelong dream of mine," she told him dreamily. She had been so lost in her childhood dreams that she didn't feel her husband tense up as he started to panic at her words.

"We could always move to New York for you to achieve that goal," he told her. He really didn't want her to have any regrets in life and he would always support her in whatever decision she made. Even if he didn't want to leave Bluebell, he would do it for her.

"You would do that for me? Move from the only home you've ever known to the city, states away from your family?" She questioned him surprised he had suggested something like that. To her it was a silly childhood dream, she wanted to be the best doctor but it didn't matter where she was at to achieve that dream. She had ruled out moving back to New York years ago and she was fine with that, or so she had thought.

"I admit I'd much rather raise our kids here than in the city, but I don't want to hold you back, Zoe. This isn't a matter we can take lightly. I can find work anywhere, I don't want you in any amount of years from now second guessing yourself on the what ifs in your life," he explained.

"I find it sweet that you would consider doing something like this for me," she smiled, looking at him. She had been so sure that she didn't need to work in New York or the city to be happy, because she was happy with where her life was at, she had everything and more that she could ever want or need in life. But her husband was offering her a chance at going back, but did she really want to go back?

"You have given up your whole life when you moved here, it is the least I can do for you, Zo. If you want to move back, it's something we need to really think about and talk through it, factor in the kids. But you need to think about this without factoring in anyone else, Zoe." Did he want to live in the city that could only be his hell? No, but he'd do anything for his wife, for the mother of his kids.

She quickly shook her head, "Everything I gave up, I wanted to give up. But I will think about it for a few days," she told him, resting her head on his chest. It should've been an easy choice to make, but it wasn't, not really. When she had made her comment she didn't think it was going to take this turn, she had more to say, though now she couldn't remember what it was she was going to add, not when her thoughts of New York were filling her mind. When the idea of never going back was certain she had been okay with that, but now that the offer from her husband was there she wasn't sure what one was the right thing to do. Moving it would be harder because she'd have to find a place to work and it wasn't going to be that easy and not only that it meant that she'd have to face her mother but that was something she has wanted to do for a while now, it was time to make amends with her mother.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Harley asked, seeing that his daughter was off in a world of her own. Zoe gave him a weak smile, shutting the folder that she had been looking at for the past hour.

"I want to say it's nothing," she sighed, looking up at her father. "But that isn't the case, it's something that's very serious and I don't know what to do about it," she confided in her father. She had to talk to someone about this, who better than her father?

"Have you talked to Wade about this?" Harley asked, taking a seat seeing just how serious this talk was going to be.

"He was the one to suggest it," Zoe informed her father. "I made a silly comment about wanting to be the best doctor in New York when I was a little girl, back when I thought Ethan was my father, back when I had two parents at home that loved and cared for me, before I lost all of that," she slowly started to fill him in. "He made the comment that we could move back if it was something that I wanted to do and after thinking about it most the morning, I don't know what I want to do," she confessed.

"That is a hard choice to make," Harley commented, feeling at a loss on what he should tell her. He didn't want her to move back to New York, not when he had spent time with her because it still wasn't enough time to him, not after all the wasted years they had missed out on. "You have to decide if living in New York or Bluebell is what makes you the happiest, where can you be the happiest at?" He questioned her then.

"That's the thing," she sighed. "New York had been my home for so long and I love it there but Bluebell is my home now and I love everything about this place, I can't pick one over the other. I want to go back to New York to see if it's something that I can do after being here for so long, but again I don't want to because being here has changed my life in such a good way and I love what I do and who I am here."

"I think you need to have a much longer more serious talk with Wade about it all. You can't make a decision like that all on your own, you've thought about it right?" He asked getting Zoe to nod her head. "Than you need to take it all to him, everything thing that you are thinking about, you need to share with him," he told her getting up. "Whatever choice you make will be the right one, sweetie," he told her. He wanted to be the father that would tell her she couldn't do such a thing but he wasn't in a place to do that and if moving back was something that she wanted he couldn't control her and force her to stay where she didn't want to be.

Zoe nodded, leaning back in her chair, she knew her father was right and she was going to tell Wade everything that she was thinking about when it came to either moving or staying, it was going to be the only way that they could figure this thing out. It wasn't up to her, it wasn't just her life, it was his and their kids as well, and she couldn't make a choice like that alone.


	34. Chapter 34

_**I couldn't get this chapter to agree with me. That's why it's on the short side. Enjoy!**_

* * *

"We can't move, Wade, our life is here and it's nice that you'd be willing to move for me, but I never said I wanted to move, I love it here," Zoe told her husband the second he had walked through the door. It didn't make any sense for them to pack up and move elsewhere when their lives were there in Bluebell. She had outgrown the dream she had had as a child and all the dreams she could ever have she's already living them with her wonderful and beautiful family.

"Okay," Wade told her, relief flooding through him. He would've gone through with it because he'd always support his wife with whatever it was she wanted to do, but staying where they were at was a huge relief for him, they had everything and it really didn't make sense to move, but he wouldn't deny his wife anything.

"But thank you for offering to do something like that, but it's not just us here Wade, besides you own the Rammer Jammer and who says I can even get a job at any hospital in New York?" She went on to say, listing reasons on why they couldn't just pack up and move it wasn't that easy or simple.

"Because you Doc are the best doctor around and any hospital would be a fool not to hire you," Wade told her with a smirk, pulling her into his arms. "But you are right, it's not just us and the kids are a handful here things could only get worse with them if we lived in a bigger place," he said, shaking his head with smile on his face, he really didn't want to think how they would be in the city, where they needed to be watched at all times.

"I do hope we never have to witness them coming home in a police car again," she told him, laying her head on his chest. "But this whole thing about New York has got me to thinking," she started to say, a soft sigh escaping.

"Your Mom?" Wade guessed, rubbing his hand over her arm. Zoe nodded against his chest. It had been something that she had been thinking about a lot lately and it was time to go back to the city and try her best to make amends with her mom.

"I haven't ever been close to her but it's never been this estranged before and if I have the chance to fix things with her than I need to do just that," she explained.

"Hey, I get it and together we'll go and see her," Wade told her. He wasn't going to let her go alone. He trusted her, it was Candice he didn't trust, but again he didn't know much about her, he hadn't had the privilege of meeting her more than a few times and it was never a pleasant meeting. He'd be there for his wife because above everything else this was a huge step for her. "We can go to New York after we send the other two off for Summer Camp," he assured his wife. It had made more sense to do it that way. They would be leaving within the next week and that would give Zoe time to get things sorted out in her head on what she was going to say to her mom when they did show up.

"I'd like that," she told him softly, placing a kiss to his chest.

* * *

Before they knew it was time to drop their two oldest off at camp. They had promised to be on their best behavior, because Wade had told them that if they get one single call they would be coming home. And they didn't want to miss any part of camp; they had spent the past year waiting to return to camp to hang out with the friends they had made over the last few summers.

"We've done this a few times now and I still don't feel any better in just dropping them off and walking away," Wade quipped back on the ride back home. "I would never take this away from them, but I don't really like leaving them there for someone else to watch."

"I feel the same way," Zoe told him, laying her hand on his leg, it wasn't easy to be leaving their kids when they wouldn't be around to keep an eye on them. "Part of me wants Eliza to go to summer camp but the other part doesn't want her to go," she sighed, glancing in the back seat. "I know it's silly because we have years before that ever happens."

"It is a little silly," Wade smiled, twining his fingers with hers on his lap. "But I can't help but fear that myself. Sending her away will be nice because we'll have time for us, but keeping her home…" he trailed off trying to find a reason on why they would keep her from going to camp if she did choose to go in the future.

"We'll miss her," Zoe smiled. Wade nodded, agreeing with her on that. It was silly to be thinking about something like that when they had years to wait before she could even go to camp, but they would let her go if it was what she wanted to do.

"So I was thinking that we could leave Eliza with my parents when we leave for New York, it's only going to be for a couple of days," Wade suggested.

"I don't know," she sighed. She didn't know how Eliza would be on the plane but she didn't know if she could spend that much time away from her little girl. Spending a night away from her was easy now that she'd done it a time or two but to be states away for days on end was something else entirely.

"We have nothing to worry about and it will give us a few days to ourselves, a little vacation for us if you will something we haven't done in a while and it would be nice and my parents wouldn't mind. I don't see the point in bringing her along to put her in what is going to be a stressful situation."

"I get it," Zoe told him. She just wasn't sold on it. "Was this your mom's idea?" She asked with a knowing smile.

"It was she pointed a few things out. And I do want her to be a bit older before taking her on an airplane," he confessed. She did get that, but it was still hard for her to leave behind her little baby girl for a couple of days, even if it was for the best.

"I'll think about it," she told him.


	35. Chapter 35

"You do see that, right? I'm not going crazy, am I?" He asked in a panic, seeing his wife approach his eyes going between his wife and a booth in the corner.

"This whole town knows you were crazy the day you actually said I do to the crazy New York doctor," she teased him; taking his hand, glancing in the direction he couldn't stop sending daggers to. "Yes, I see that and the whole town of Bluebell has seen it." To her it wasn't that big of a deal. Moving on at that age was so much easier.

"Do you know how much I want to go over there and I don't know knock some sense into that kid," he sighed, his eyes locked on his daughter's boyfriend with some other girl. Where does one even learn to cheat? He had to know that it would get back to Ariel. "I don't want her to get hurt by this news."

"It wouldn't do any good for either one of you and she won't be hurt by it," Zoe told him finding it slightly amusing. Wade looked at her confused wondering just what it was she knew about Ariel that he didn't know. "They broke up before she left, said it would be easier for them if they remained friends while she was away," she filled her husband in. He was relieved to hear news like that. He may have been slowly coming around to the idea of his daughter dating, but he still didn't like it. He wanted Ariel to keep her innocence for as long as possible.

"Good, I didn't like her dating anyhow," he stated, leaning across the bar top skimming his lips against hers. "Get a hold of your mom yet?" He asked quietly against her lips.

"I wish I hadn't," she commented, both knowing that wasn't true. "But she insisted on coming here for two weeks. We did talk a few things out on the phone but the rest have been left for when she shows up, but the real kicker she won't be able to make it until the end of August, she'll be here a few days before the two kids get back from camp," she filled him in on the talk she had just minutes prior to coming to the Jammer. Even though they had settled things at her wedding, it didn't seem that way because they hardly ever talked and it was like the words her mom had spoken to her, didn't hold as true as she had made them seem to be. Of course Candice waved that off saying they've all just been busy, but busy or not they could've made time and Zoe didn't just blame her mom on that one, she did blame herself as well.

"I'm sorry baby, I know how much you were looking forward to going back to the city and to clear this whole mess up," he placated his wife.

"It wasn't so much about the city as it was making things right with her again; we could be anywhere as long as we can work things out. I just wanted to do it sooner rather than later. 3 months is a long time and she could change her mind on coming here," she sighed, dropping her head to rest on their entwined hands.

"I get that, I do," he told his wife. He never had to go through having such a strained relationship with any parent, but he knew all about making things right with everything that he's been through. "If she changes her mind we'll go up there and confront her, I will make sure that you work things out with your Mom face-to-face," he assured her. "But I'm sure that she'll be here wanting to fix things with you. It can't be easy for her to lose you and Ariel and not even knowing her newest granddaughter."

"But we can't be sure of anything until she's standing before us in the flesh." Wade sighed at how bitter her words sounded to him. She wanted to defend herself on moving to begin with but that was old news and she didn't need to defend herself, not to her husband. If she had been in her mom's shoes she would miss everyone like crazy. "I wouldn't change what I did but maybe the way things have been left off over the last few years." She really did regret the time she had missed out on with her mom, the time she had taken away from Ariel. She needed to fix it and she didn't know if she could wait until the end of August. "Thank you," she smiled looking up at him. "You are simply the most amazing husband in this tiny town."

"You make it easy," he smirked, watching her cheeks turn a pale pink color before his very eyes. "Are you going to be okay?" He questioned, he did need to get back to work. It didn't matter to him if he was the boss he couldn't let his work suffer.

"Yeah, I've got to get back to work myself," she stated, getting up. "Also your mom cancelled dinner tonight, your dad had been feeling a little under the weather, it's nothing serious, that I can assure you of," she told him, putting him right at ease. Jackie had brought Earl by earlier that morning so instead of Jackie watching Eliza she was with Uncle Lavon.

"Okay, thanks for letting me know since my own parents didn't bother giving me that information," he replied. He believed what Zoe told him, but it was his dad, his hero for his whole life and he was sick so of course Wade was going to be worried, it was in his nature as a son.

"Since I was the doctor he saw, they might have figured I'd inform ya and I doubt that you or your parents plan on suing me," she told him pressing her lips against his.

"Maybe I'll divorce ya then sue that little butt of yours," he told her with a very straight face.

"I'd like to see you try," she responded with a smirk. "I love you."

"Love you, Doc. I'll bring dinner when I come," he let her know. He had learned the hard way that there were things that Zoe didn't know how to cook. She could cook, there was no doubt about that, but some things were better left alone. He smiled wide planning the next perfect date night and they didn't even have to leave the house. The only thing he needed to figure out was the night.

* * *

"Honey, I'm home," Wade called out, a smile on his face as he walked into the house, a few nights later. He frowned smelling how clean the house was. This morning there was an order of stinky shoes by the front door and now it smelled like floral cleaner exploded at the door.

"What did you do that for?" Zoe asked wide eyed, glaring at the grocery bags that her careless husband had just placed on her still wet countertop.

"You need to relax," he told her, noting that Eliza was in her swing, laughing away. He smiled seeing just how carefree his little girl was. Taking his gaze from his daughter he returned it to his wife, who was back to scrubbing the sink out. Having enough he walked up behind her, taking the sponge from her, he gently spun her around, his arms going around her waist to hold her tightly against him. "Mind telling me what has you in such a cleaning frenzy?" He asked, placing his cheek against her head.

She sighed, laying her head against his chest, the rhythm of his heart calming her down. "The place was dirty," she offered as her excuse, not that he bought it because he wanted the truth.

"I know that's not true. We never let the place get dirty, messy maybe but never dirty. Now what has you so worked up?" He asked gently. "Is this about your mom?" He questioned when Zoe remained quiet far too long for his liking.

"I got to thinking about her coming here and she can rock the freaking boat for a few people," she spoke quietly, closing her eyes. "I don't know how things ever left off with her and my dad and I don't want anything to ruin what he has with Norma, I know it's not likely because they were able to be civil once before but she wasn't here long back then and now she's going to be here for two weeks and I know there's a part of her that still loves my Dad because I could see it in her eyes and my dad assured me it wouldn't but everything is…" she sighed trailing off from her rambles.

"Breathe baby," he told her, gently rubbing circles on her back. "Zo, you're over thinking this whole thing. Keep this up and you're going to go insane before July ever gets here. We can't worry over this and Harley has a grasp on his life and I really don't see him leaving his wife. It's all going to be okay," he said, being his wife's ever needing voice of reason. "Go take a nice hot relaxing bubble bath and I'll take care of Eliza," he said, gently nudging his wife to the bathroom.

With Zoe out of the room, he put his groceries away; walking over to his baby girl he picked her up, placing kisses all over her face making her giggle. Eliza placed her hands on her father's face and started to chew on her daddy's nose. He winced feeling a tooth dig into his nose. He pulled her away, touching the spot she had just bit him at to see a bit of blood. "That wasn't very nice Miss Eliza, we don't bite people especially daddy," he told her with a light tickle to her tummy as he walked to the bathroom for a band aid.

"What happened?" Zoe asked, cracking an eye open, seeing her husband enter the bathroom.

"She bit my nose," he said, looking at her.

"She got you good," Zoe giggled, seeing the mark left on her husband's nose. She got out of the tub, drying her hands off enough to get some ointment and a band aid put on his nose. She gave his nose a soft kiss and walked back to the tub.

"Are you not going to get after your daughter for biting noses?" He questioned with a playful tone.

"Hmm nah, you can handle the pain," she retorted with a smile. "I'm sure it didn't hurt," she commented.

"Has she bit you?" Wade retorted with, walking to the door.

"Yes," Zoe smirked. "But keep fingers and other body parts away from her and she won't bite them or try to chew on them," she responded. It was Zoe's own fault that she had got bitten by Eliza, she was checking with her finger to see if she had more teeth coming in. "Feed her please?" Zoe asked, looking at her husband batting her eyelashes at him.

"Yes dear," he sighed dramatically. "Let's feed you something other than daddy's nose, my little vampire baby," he teased, walking to the kitchen.

Zoe smiled really loving how Wade was with Eliza. It made her wonder how he would have been with Boyd. It didn't hurt anymore to think about the little boy she had lost, those wounds closed for the most part, she could think about him and not cry like a baby. It was easier to think with having Eliza there because she didn't know if Eliza would have been born if Boyd would've made it.

Wade laughed watching as Eliza struggled to stay awake and eat. She wanted more, but her eyes would close for a moment and she snap them open, only for the process to continue. Wade picked her up seeing that her turmoil of sleeping was going to win out. He dressed her in her little pajamas and laid her down in her crib after he had kissed her night. He tucked her in, switching the nightlight on and quietly walking from the room, leaving the door open.

"Are you cooking?" Zoe asked, once he appeared in the kitchen. She was wearing one of his shirts and a pair of panties.

"Nope," he smirked, his eyes scanning over his wife. "We're making dinner. Welcome to Wade's cooking school," he let her in on his little date night plan as he got the rest of the ingredients out to make chicken Alfredo.

They had laughed as they worked together, Wade's arms around her as he showed her how to make the noodles without under or over cooking them. Zoe had left him to dealing with the chicken and found a spot on the counter to sit as she watched him move around the kitchen, sipping from her glass of wine, finding no need in correcting him that she knew how to cook everything laid out before them.

"You do know that the point in this was for you to expanded your knowledge," he smirked, coming to stand between her legs. She wrapped her legs around him pulling him closer, his hands running over her bare legs.

"But watching you cook is so much more fun and very sexy," she smirked at him, biting her lower lip softly. Wade smirked at her words, his hands moving higher to go under the shirt she was wearing. "And I did cook the noodles," she tacked on, lowering her head to his.

"I remember," he muttered, closing the ever decreasing gap, his lips fire against hers. His hands leaving a burning trail over her skin as they slowly inched higher, he smirked into the kiss feeling she wasn't wearing a bra. She moaned into the kiss feeling his fingers magic against her bare breasts.

They were so lost in each other that the fire detector went off making both of them jump, their foreheads smashing together. They laughed as they hurriedly got everything under control before it woke Eliza up from her slumber. Wade went to fix the breadsticks that had gotten burned and Zoe went and got the table set up for the two of them.

They enjoyed their dinner making jokes about it. But nonetheless it was a good night for them and Zoe was looking forward to the next cooking class with her husband.


	36. Chapter 36

**To the guest reviewer yes, she did know how to cook, I totally forgot about that, so I changed a few things in the previous chapter. It's nothing major so you don't have to go back and read it. I also realized that in the first story that Zoe and Candice had already made amends to a certain extant so this chapter is them going from there. Enjoy and have a good weekend!**

* * *

The weeks had quickly passed them by. They had spent the fourth of July in town enjoying the festivities, letting Eliza play a few games which whether she won or not she still got some sort of prize. When they got home Eliza was tuckered out and easily went down for bed. Wade and Zoe sat outside on their roof watching the fireworks light up the night sky changing it different colors.

The rest of July moved past them quickly, having time to themselves had became easier to manage as long as they took the time to do it, it was easy to get lost in work and fall into a rut but both of them were very eager to keep things fresh between them.

August had been the slowest month with summer coming to an end. They had so much to do and get ready for that it should've passed them by but it felt like each day dragged on. It didn't help that one thing after another needed their attention at home. If it wasn't one thing it was another. Pipes burst, the plumbing needed fixed, the washer stopped working; it was one thing after another. It was frustrating.

"Look who I found wandering the dangerous side of town," Wade announced walking into the house behind his mother-in-law, a smirk firmly in place.

"Don't tell me Dash got her!" Zoe exclaimed, walking over to her mom giving her hug. It didn't matter what issues they had between them it was her mom and she is always going to love and care for her. Hugging her mom was a natural thing to do.

"He did corner me and to tell me all about the Broadway play he's putting on next week and I must stay to watch it because a lady from the big Apple knows Broadway and I'd be blown away," she recapped for her daughter.

Zoe found herself laughing. Dash was putting on the play Cats. The play was the last big summer event. Wade kissed her temple letting her know that he had to get back to work, that he had only left work to save Candice from Dash and the rest of the crazies in town.

Candice watched how tender he was with Zoe and how gentle he was with Eliza. She felt guilty for ever thinking the worst in him. It wasn't that she disliked him; she resented him for taking her daughter and granddaughter away from her. She honestly thought they would've found their way home to New York if love wouldn't have stopped them. But she was happy that her daughter had found someone that treated Ariel like she is his. She couldn't ask for more because that was all she wanted for her daughter.

"Where's your stuff?" Zoe asked her mom, noticing she didn't have anything with her.

"It's at the Whippoorwill Blossom B&B. I thought it would be easier that way. I didn't want to impose on you," Candice told her daughter.

"You didn't have to do that," Zoe told her. "Want some tea or coffee?" She offered.

"An iced tea would be divine in this heat," she let her daughter know, sitting down on the floor where her youngest granddaughter was playing at. Eliza looked at the stranger that sat down by her and froze up some ready to cry for her mom when Zoe had reappeared.

Zoe walked back from getting two cups of ice cold tea along with a cup of water for Eliza. "I forgot just how fast they grow up," Zoe commented, setting the glass of tea for her mom down, handing Eliza her own cup, sitting down on the floor by her daughter, putting Eliza at ease as she drank her water and went back to playing.

"Seems like just yesterday," Candice commented with a smile. "I know I haven't been the best mom to have growing up our even now, I missed out on a lot of things, but you were loved and cared for, Zoe."

"I know. I can understand it better now that I've gotten older and I had to raise Ariel as a single mom for 9 years. Finding that balance isn't easy," Zoe said, picking a soft block up to play with Eliza. "But you have to know coming here and deciding to live here, it was never about taking Ariel away from you or replacing you, I wanted to know my father and I wanted Ariel to have the same chance. We fit better here and I never thought I would say that," she finished explaining with a soft giggle, watching Eliza play.

"I knew that from the start too, Zoe. I just wasn't expecting you to fall in love. I used some dirty tactics to get you and Ariel home, which I couldn't see you already found everything you needed. And I'm sorry for everything that I have done and for staying away. Not only was I hurting you but Ariel and myself and I'm not going to do that anymore."

"Does this mean more trips down here to visit?" Zoe questioned. She had come to terms with the rest of it and she didn't see thee point on keeping it open. She really did hope that her mom had plans of coming down more to see them more.

"I know how hard it is for all of you to come visit; I do know it can be done. I will be here more often to visit my family but in return I do want to see you all in New York at least once or twice a year, think you can manage that?" Candice asked. Even if they weren't able to come and visit her didn't mean she would stop coming down to Alabama to see her family. She had missed them and she was being stupid about it all. She had learned her lesson.

"I can't guarantee anything, but I do believe we can make that work," Zoe told her mom. It would be a bit of a challenge with Eliza but she wanted all of her kids to experience the things that Ariel has already had the chance of experiencing in New York she wanted to show her family that part of her life.

On good terms once again they focused on playing with Eliza. Zoe had taken the day off knowing that it would be the day her mom showed up and she didn't want to leave her mom alone with very little things to do in Bluebell without getting bombarded by someone. But with Brick and Harley being called away with two different house calls, Zoe had to go in for a few hours until one of them made it back. Candice had assured her it would be fine because she was going to spend the time getting to know her youngest granddaughter.

Leaving proved to be a bit difficult when Eliza started to cry when Zoe was getting ready to leave. She had got Eliza calmed down enough that she wasn't screaming the house down that she felt good enough with leaving the two of them alone. She didn't like it but she knew that they would both be fine.

"How'd you get away?" Wade asked walking into the practice, surprised to see his wife was the only one there.

"What happened to you?" Zoe questioned ignoring his question when she noticed the blood on his shirt.

"It's just a scratch," he replied nonchalantly with a shrug. It was just from some glass that had broken.

"A nasty scratch," she responded, pushing him to lie down so she could clean it up and bandaged. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches or anything like that. As she got to work she explained things to her husband. He wanted to go home and check on his little girl, but he didn't want to set her off by showing up only to leave again so it would be best for Eliza if he stayed away until he was done with work.

After Wade left Zoe got busy doing some paper work with the practice empty. Not wanting to go all the way up to her office, she sat at her dad's desk, which she often did when he wasn't there working, sometimes it was easier for her to use his desk and he didn't mind.

"Hello Sweetie," Harley greeted entering his office. Zoe smiled at him telling him hi. "How are things with your mom?" He asked sitting down.

"Better than I had expected them to be, but good, really well," Zoe answered. "I would love to sit here and chat, but when I left Eliza didn't like the idea of getting to know her Grandma." Harley chuckled a little at that finding it amusing. He hugged his daughter and let her go home.

Zoe smiled walking into her home to see Eliza sitting on the couch as Candice read her a book. "Mama," Eliza giggled.

"Is grandma reading you a story?" Zoe asked, sitting down next to the two of them, kissing her daughter's head. Eliza in reply, smacked the book with her little hands getting Zoe to laugh. She settled back on the couch as Candice started to read again. Zoe smiled, seeing now that she had nothing to worry about to begin with.


	37. Chapter 37

**I'm sorry for not posting sooner, but life gets hectic for everyone and on top of that I struggled with this chapter and I still don't care much for this chapter, but I do hope you all enjoy it. I'm not sure when I will get another update posted as this week is going to be busy for me as I will be going on a trip later this week.**

 **And lastly I have came to the conclusion that I will wrapping this story up within the next few chapters, as much as I love this story and hold it dear to my heart, sadly I'm losing my inspiration to keep this going as long as I had planned on doing. If there is anything you want to see happen before the story ends please let me know and I'll see what I can do.**

* * *

The week had quickly past them by. Zoe was enjoying her time with her mom, missed her greatly, it was even better than when she was little, her mom having no reason to run off when things got to a place she didn't feel comfortable with. They were doing a better job on fixing the gap they had both created. Zoe really liked that Eliza had created a bond with Candice that was always great to see.

"I have to say that I'm impressed with your mom," Wade commented into the 3 hour drive to get the kids. "I didn't think she would be so hands on and keeping Eliza last night, I didn't expect that. I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt here but I really do think she's trying." He could see how much things between Zoe and Candice were changing for the better, each of them learning just where the other person had been coming from in the past. And the things they had done in the past, the fights, the arguments and everything else, those things didn't matter now. It was time to move past it all and be the family they should've been years ago.

"I think so too," she smiled. It was unexpected with how things had once been but Zoe knew she could be like that because she had been like that with Ariel but at the same time making Zoe step up and be the best mother she could be. "But it's not about her changing so much as it is us putting things behind us, she may not have been mother of the year but she was always an excellent grandma." That was something Zoe couldn't take away from her mom. "I was thinking that we could spend a couple different holidays with her. Change it up every year," she suggested.

"I think that would be a good for all of us," Wade replied with a smile. He was going to make an effort, he couldn't always dislike her. He wasn't a kid anymore; it was time to put pity things behind him. "You do know that you can invite her down her for holidays that we won't be there for, right?"

"Yeah I know," she smiled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm really excited to see those two, no matter how many rules they happen to break," she commented seeing the sign for the turnoff to the camp.

"The summer was way to quiet without them. Having time away was nice but I love them, their trouble making ways and all," he commented with a smile.

"You're such a sap," Zoe giggled. "What are you going to do when they move away?"

"They won't go far. They'll be back," he smirked like he knew a big secret that his wife didn't know.

"Whatever you say, dear," Zoe told him amusement in her voice.

"At least I won't be a crying mess like you will be," he joked with a wink.

Zoe huffed playfully. "I will not be," she argued. "By the time they get old enough for college, I'll gladly be shoving them out the door. I know how I was as a teen, do you?"

"Yeah and Brax won't make the same mistakes I made, I'll make sure of that," he said determined thinking back to the things he would like to change from his teenage years.

"You can't stop him. He needs to make his own mistakes and learn from them. I don't want Ariel to make my mistakes either, but the best thing we can do is make sure they're safe and protected." It terrified her to think that Ariel would follow in her footsteps and have a child at an early age like she had done, having Ariel had been a mistake but it wasn't an unwanted one, she loved her daughter greatly, but that didn't mean she wanted her daughter to go through it, she wanted Ariel to have the world and some.

"I know," he replied, clearing his mind. "Let's go get our kids, shall we?"

"We shall," she smiled getting out of the car.

* * *

Over half the car ride home was filled with stories about what they had done over the summer at camp, both kids taking turns in telling different stories and the same story. Zoe and Wade laughed along. As parents they were happy that their kids had a really fun summer. They wanted their kids to be happy, no matter how old they were.

Braxton and Ariel talked amongst themselves no longer telling their parents what they had done, but talking about things that happened that their parents wouldn't get because they weren't there to witness it and explaining things wouldn't make it as funny as it had been.

Wade and Zoe remained quiet, Zoe's hand resting on top of his that rested on her leg. They relished in the small laughs coming from the backseat. They missed the chaos that surrounded Brax and Ariel. Once their kids grew quiet they glanced in the back to see each kid was in a world of their own now that they were getting closer to being home.

"Do you think…" Ariel trailed off, leaving her worries to float away. "Never mind," she mumbled.

"What's going on sweetie?" Zoe asked, turning to look at her daughter.

"It's nothing really, I just can't wait to see Grandma and everyone else too," Ariel settled on. She had her worries but they seemed silly and she didn't know how to voice them.

"Okay," Zoe replied. She had an inkling that there was more to it but she couldn't make her talk not when they were in the car. It was a talk she would wait to have with her daughter when they were alone.

Wade casted a glance at his wife, He knew how to read her, with as long as they've been together it's something that came easily to him and he could see that this was bothering her and he wanted to fix it for both his wife and his daughter, but this was something he couldn't fix because he simply couldn't pull things from his daughter. He had no doubts that it would get sorted out.

"I don't see why I can't go off and see my friends tonight instead of waiting until tomorrow," Braxton commented with a huff. "It's not like she's my grandmother," he tacked on, voicing his thoughts.

"That's where you're wrong," Wade stated. "Grandma Candice is part of our family. And you will not get out of spending time with her," he told his son.

Candice may not have liked that Zoe had found herself in a relationship so quickly when she moved to Bluebell but she had come to see with her own eyes that it was meant to be and she would treat Braxton just like he was hers. Because he was, blood didn't make you family.

"Dad's right, I accept your grandparents as my own and you accept Harley and Norma as your grandparents as I do. This is no different, there is only one set of grandparents that you don't have to accept as yours, Braxton," Ariel stated, interrupting anything her brother was going to say. "If you actually take the time to see just who my grandma can be which I do hope she will be again, you'll like her and accept her as your own," she finished in a softer tone.

"It's not like she cared about me before, why should I care now?" He questioned, his eyes trained on the passing world behind the window.

"It's not that she didn't care about you," Zoe told him, glancing at him. "This is a good chance for the both of you to really get to know each other. You can never go wrong in having more family, having more people love and care for you."

"Yeah, maybe," he replied, sending his mom a small smile, turning his attention back to the passing scenery. He liked having family and lots of it but he knew too well the pain it could bring. You don't ever forget the pain of losing a loved one; nothing can take that pain away. He slowly moved his eyes from the window, landing on each family member, each one had lost someone close and because of each one he was able to let go of the pain that was there from when he lost his mom. The pain it would never fully go away and he didn't want it to, but with his family he could move on from it, so maybe having more family was a good thing.

The last of the car ride was spent in silence. Each one lost in their own thoughts.

"Whose idea was it to invite the whole town?" Ariel asked seeing just how many people were waiting on them to return.

"Next time you might want to teach them how to hide to surprise us," Braxton joked, pushing his car door open now that the car was parked and turned off.

"Next time we don't tell the real date they come home," wife told husband with a smile as she got out of the car.

"That would be ideal," Wade laughed following behind his family.

The longer the little party dragged on it was easy to see that Ariel refused to leave Candice's side and Braxton kept his distance. For the time being Wade and Zoe were going to leave it alone, they couldn't force Braxton to be on friendly terms with Candice and they let Ariel be seeing just how much she had missed her Grandma from New York. They had faith that it would all play out for the best.


	38. Chapter 38

**I'm sorry if this chapter seems to be a bit rushed towards the end. It's not my favorite chapter. Also I do hope to have this story wrapped up by the end of the week. I know what I want to happen next chapter and I have a good chunk of the last chapter wrote and you will find out the name of their newest baby. Anyway Enjoy!**

* * *

School was back into full swing, both of them starting their second year of junior high. Ariel was more worried than Braxton was; she needed everything to be perfect. At least that is what he made everyone believe. But the truth was he was scared. He made people believe that he wasn't as smart as he really was, hiding part of who he was because that had been easier for him. After he had lost his mother he had retreated and caused trouble and didn't want to be friends with anyone because it was too painful for him and then Ariel had came along. He had been tired of keeping people out and Ariel was the one person that didn't know what he had gone through and didn't have to see him at his worst. But now he wanted to make his parents proud of him and he had to let people see that he was smart and that he understood everything that was going on in school. That's why he was going to buckle down and he was going to try his hardest not to goof off, he was going to take school seriously. He didn't know what he wanted to be when he did grow up, but he did know that he had to be better in school and there was no way around that. One look at his sister he knew that she'd be there to help him along the way. Just because he told himself that he was going to be better in school this year didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy his birthday, his 13th birthday at that.

Everyone had been asking him what it was he wanted for his birthday but he would just shrug. He really didn't know what he wanted for his birthday. Asking for a pet seemed to be a cliché and as much as he wanted a dog, it wasn't the right time to get one, not when he wouldn't be around all that much with school and practice after school. He was on the football team and the baseball team, so it wouldn't be fair to have a pet. And other than a pet he was already told no by his parents for what he truly wanted, not that anyone around town would get him what he wanted.

The day of his birthday they had a small party with family, his actual party would be Saturday. Friday night some of his friends would be spending the night, he didn't want anything too big. He couldn't wait for the weekend but he was enjoying the little party with his family. They had cake and they sang to him after they had dinner.

Presents were soon placed before him. He had gotten a few toy model cars to build, a new video game, one that he wanted. Jesse thought it would be funny if all he got his nephew was clothes, so a hoodie and sweatpants with the Bama logo were what had awaited him. It was something that he was use to, so it didn't annoy him as much as it once had. It would be a few more years before he had clothes from all the colleges in Alabama thanks to his Uncle Jesse.

He knew that his birthday wasn't about getting the presents, but he was disappointed that the one thing he wanted wasn't there. He didn't let his disappointment show and thanked everyone for what they had gave him because even he knew that they didn't have to get him anything for his birthday family or not.

The days had quickly passed leaving Braxton and a group of friends in the backyard with squirt guns and water balloons. And Zoe smiled finding it hard not to smile watching the boys and hearing their laughter filtered in through the open window in the kitchen.

"Should I be worried that Ariel is talking to Ryker?" Wade questioned, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist, gently kissing her neck.

"No, you shouldn't be," she answered, leaning back into his embrace. He went to question her about it, but she had beaten him to it. "They are trying to figure it all out and it is harmless, you have more important things to worry about the older she gets so please don't worry about it now."

"Don't remind me," he grumbled.

"What's the fun in that?" She teased.

"I hate you," he stated, letting her go.

"That's the biggest lie that I've ever heard in my life," Jesse smirked walking into the kitchen.

Zoe couldn't hold her laughter back and Wade scowled at his brother. "See we all know that you love me," she stated a bit cockily walking away.

"Must you ruin everything?" Wade asked his brother when fake annoyance.

"That is my job," Jesse smirked. "Though that wasn't the reason I came in here," he clarified. Wade raised an eyebrow at his brother. "They're ready for the grill," he told Wade amused.

"I knew there was a reason on why I came in here," he chuckled, heading to the fridge. That was why he had came in for before he left himself get distracted by his ever beautiful wife. Jesse chuckled deciding to make no comment on why Wade had forgot and took what was handed to him outside.

A few jokes were made on his account, but he took them with stride, making small jokes about the guys standing around him knowing just how wrapped around their wives fingers they were. It was in all good fun. He glanced around seeing his wife laughing as she was bringing out the rest of the food out and placing it on the table, having help from the other wives and girlfriend's that were there for Braxton's party.

His party had flown by leaving them exhausted when nighttime had fallen over them. Wade and Zoe decided to leave the last bit of the mess until morning. After checking on all three kids to see that they were all out cold from the long day, they headed to bed themselves, falling asleep quickly wrapped up in each other's warm embrace.

"Mommy, Daddy," Eliza cried running into their room, jumping into bed with them.

"What's the matter?" Wade asked softly, cuddling with his daughter that was scared. Mumbled and through her cries she had informed her parents that the storm outside had scared her.

Zoe scooted closer and ran her fingers through her hair to get her to calm down and relax, getting her to fall back asleep. Now that she was awake she could hear the deep rumblings of the storm that was taking place outside their house.

Waking up in the morning they were both tired as Eliza had been restless and proceeded to toss and turn for the rest of the night, hitting or kicking her parents. At one point she had even head butted Wade. They had woke up with Eliza's head on Zoe's stomach and her legs resting over Wade's chest as she slept away.

Wade had slipped out of the covers, seeing that both Brax and Ariel were up and eating cereal when he entered the kitchen to get breakfast and coffee for himself and Zoe. Since yesterday had been a busy day with Braxton's party they used Sunday as a day just to relax and hang out as a family.

* * *

September had easily changed into October where Wade had planned a little family birthday party for Zoe which she had loved. The days between her birthday and Halloween had passed by with a blink of an eye. Braxton and Ariel went to the Halloween dance at school to spend it with their friends, Zoe and Wade went trick or treating with Eliza before they left her with Harley and Norma. With Eliza with a set of grandparents for the night Wade and Zoe had went to the Rammer Jammer to join in with the Halloween festivities that had been organized between Lavon and Wade.

"Where are you going?" She questioned her husband as he started up drag her to the hay maze.

"We have one night where we can act like hormonal teenagers with no parent responsibilities," he winked. Zoe giggled following behind him.

Wade went to the middle of the maze pulling Zoe into a dead end, pushing her up against the hay, his lips connecting to hers, his fingers digging into her waist. Zoe ran her hands up under his shirt her fingers gliding over his abs and moving to his back her fingernails dragging down his backs, their kiss growing hotter.

"Mom! Dad!" Was yelled by two mortified kids as they came across their parents making out in the shadows.

"What?" Wade asked, his laughter lacing his voice.

"You guys are like old and it's embarrassing. You've got a whole house with your own room in it!" Braxton huffed.

"Yeah it's gross," Ariel piped in.

"But this is more exciting. Just cause we're old," he said sarcastically making his wife giggle in his ear. "Doesn't mean we can't have our own adventures. We aren't that old either," he quipped back.

"This is just eeww," Ariel retorted, walking off having enough. Braxton following after his sister.

"As hilarious as this was, we can have more fun at home," Zoe seductively suggested, moving away from her husband.

"Yeah totally cool if you start without me," Wade called after her, slowly walking behind his eyes trained on her ass that swayed as she walked.

"I'll keep that in mind," she giggled, feeling his hands on her waist. "Someone is in a hurry."

"That's an understatement," he husked into her ear, lightly nibbling on her neck.

* * *

With Halloween over with they had focused on getting things ready for Planksgiving. They had talked about it whether they were going to go visit Candice for the holiday or stay in Bluebell and go to New York to spend Christmas with Candice. After a long talk they had figured that it would be easier to stay in Bluebell for Planksgiving and Eliza's birthday party. Candice was okay with that and she was going to make the trip down to spend Thursday through Sunday with them.

"Sweet birthday cake!" Jesse exclaimed walking into his parent's house. "Told ya we'd get cake from now on," he smirked, putting down the dish of food he was carrying along with the present he had been juggling. Wade had gently shoved his brother, walking back to where the rest of the family was at, sitting down next to his wife, his arm resting on the back of the couch behind Zoe. She moved into his side as she kept on talking to her mom and Jackie.

They had spent part of the day partaking in the Planksgiving festivities. Eliza giggling when she saw people dressed as pirates. They figured it would be easier to get everyone together on Planksgiving to have dinner and a birthday party instead of coming together the next night as well.


	39. Chapter 39

**I'm aiming to have the final chapter up on Friday, if not it will be up on Monday. Enjoy.**

* * *

A few days before the family of five was to leave for New York for Christmas they had an early Christmas dinner with their family, Braxton was still moping around because he still didn't get what he has been asking for since September.

It didn't help his mood any when they landed in New York and it was freezing. It was the first time that he had ever seen snow, he did like the snow ball fight that had ensued but not how numb his face had gotten. Drinking hot chocolate and warming up in front of the fireplace that Candice had Wade start for the kids felt like heaven to him. He wasn't as standoffish towards Candice as they had spent plenty of time together and she did treat him just the same as she treated Ariel, so he was actually happy to see her.

Ariel on the other hand as odd as it was she had missed the cold, missed playing in the snow, missed so much about New York. Above everything else she missed about this place, she missed her grandma the most. She had walked into her grandma's place a massive grin on her face, her cheeks and nose a red color from the cold that had settled over them. Her hands wrapped around her mug of hot cocoa as she lay on the floor watching the fire. Bluebell that was her home but New York felt like she was at home as well.

Wade he had expected the cold but not quite as cold as it was when he stepped off the plane. He had shivered nonstop every time he was outside under the big heavy winter coat he was wearing. But the second they had got to Candice's he couldn't help but pick up a handful of snow and throw it at his son. It was the first time he had seen snow and as cold as it left his fingers he was having too much fun playing with it. When he had made it inside the building he was more than happy to start a fire to warm himself up right down to his bones. He easily took the cup filled with hot cocoa from his wife, his cold fingers grazing over her warm ones.

New York may no longer be Zoe's home but it sure did feel like that. She was home in the city. The cold had seeped in, leaving her on the chilly side, but she didn't mind, she proudly wore a smile. Laughing as she had even joined in playing in the snow, laughing as Eliza wasn't so sure about the white fluffy stuff that was covering the ground. It wasn't until she had fallen over that she had decided to like the stuff. Zoe not wanting her to get sick picked her up and headed inside, Wade following close behind. Handing her daughter over to Wade she stripped the now soaked winter coat, hat and mittens off, taking the winter boots off not wanting to leave melted snow puddles around the place. Wade quickly got things started for hot chocolate, making sure that Eliza's was lukewarm so she wouldn't get burned drinking it.

That was how their first night in the city was spent, sitting around the fire, Braxton and Ariel both telling Candice everything that has happened since they last saw her on Planksgiving.

Their first full day of being in the city, saw Zoe and Ariel dragging the others to their favorite places. Braxton found things to complain about, Wade had made jokes with him to get his son to laugh. Shopping wasn't Wade's ideal way to spend countless hours but seeing how happy his three girls were ever reason to bail drifted right out of his mind.

"How many more things must you girls going to buy before we get something to eat?" Braxton asked showing just how annoyed he was. Seeing the sights was awesome and he enjoyed it even when the cold air bit at his face.

"We'll take the subway and get pizza," Zoe told him, heading out of the store. "You'll love the subway," she informed him. They had walked the short distance, Wade nearly falling a few times on a couple different patches of ice that lined the sidewalk, he wasn't a fan.

"If you get scared your little sister's will hold your hand, right Eliza?" Ariel asked with a snicker teasing her brother.

"I'm not a little boy who will be scared," he huffed, standing a little taller than he was already.

"I didn't say that," Ariel retorted.

"That's enough," Wade told them. He didn't want to hear them bickering for the rest of the day. The second they got past the whole subway comment it would only keep going until they got bored with it later in the day or until someone stepped in to end it. He wanted to enjoy his holiday vacation with his family and not listen to the kids fight like they do at home. "Besides if Brax gets scared he can hold his Mommy's hand," Wade teased with a smirk.

Braxton glared at his father, a snark of a reply on his tongue when Zoe's voice made him laugh out loud. "If daddy gets scared he can hold his own hand."

"Eliza wouldn't let daddy be scared," he pouted.

"I will daddy," Eliza told him.

"What are you three evil people teaching my sweet little girl," Wade gasped, picking Eliza up.

"Wuv you, Daddy," Eliza told him, kissing his cheek, wrinkling her nose up at the rough, pokey feeling from his little beard.

"And I love you, sweetie pie," he responded, with a kiss to her little cheek.

There was no trouble once on the subway. And even though Wade wasn't scared Eliza held his hand from where she sat on her mom's lap, telling her daddy that it was okay because she wouldn't really let him be scared. Wade smiled pretending that he was no longer scared now that he was holding her little hand.

After they had ordered their pizza they asked Braxton what he wanted to do. He gave off a mile long list of everything he wanted to see and do. He wanted to experience it all. He wanted to see the empire state building, the statue of liberty, Central park, Rockefeller center, the 9/11 memorial. He wanted to visit Coney Island but with the theme park closed during this time of the year he'd wait until they visited in the summer to go.

When he finished with his long list of things to do and places to go Wade and Zoe talked it over to see what they could fit in for their day and what would have to wait until a later date. Wade had plans of taking Zoe out for a date night to her favorite restaurant of Per Se.

"We don't have to see everything this visit, we will be back at a later date," Wade assured their oldest.

"I know, dad," he replied.

"We have to go to ice skating at Rockefeller's though," Ariel tagged in. It had been so long since she's been there that they just had to go. It really had been ever since the last time she ice skated and it wasn't just to watch and laugh at how bad her dad and brother would be on the ice either.

"I've fought with the ice enough for the day," Wade sighed. He would do whatever he had to do to make his kids happy, but he really didn't want to have another mishap with the stupid ice.

"Please?" Ariel pouted,

"Yeah dad, please can we?" Braxton asked.

Wade looked over to Zoe for some help, but one look at her and he would be fighting with the ice for a few more hours. Convincing the kids was one thing but when his wife was on their side he was doomed. "We'll go there after we eat," he caved, getting matching smiles from his whole family. It would be worth his trouble after all.

Falling for the first five minutes was worth it seeing just how happy everyone was. Braxton had been a pro on the ice skates after a few minutes. Ariel was helping Eliza, both girls sharing laughs as they glided across the smooth surface of the ice.

"Now that you have the hang of it, think we can go a bit further out than where the wall is at?" Zoe asked him, hiding her amusement.

"Just laugh it up, Doc," Wade sneered in a playful tone. "As long as you hold my hand we can," he winked.

"Is that all?" She questioned, pulling on his hand to skate further into the ice ring.

"Maybe there's more once we're alone," he remarked. Zoe rolled her eyes, lightly squeezing his hand, her eyes seeking out their three kids.

* * *

Christmas morning they sat around the tree to open up presents. Candice decided that instead of hiring someone to come in and cook for them that she would try it herself and Wade was there to help, Zoe as well.

Braxton couldn't contain his excitement when he finally got what he had wanted. Zoe was ready to argue with her mom, there was no reason he needed another game system. He had more than he needed as it was, but his words had her letting it go.

"Thanks, Grandma," he told her giving her hug.

"I know how much you wanted it and you, Braxton, you deserve to have it. You've been good. I like to splurge on my grandkids," she smiled, kissing his cheek.

Christmas had been one of the best Zoe could ever remember having with her mom. She was really happy that everything was good once more and that no drama was waiting for them around the corner.

Ariel and Braxton had convinced their parents to stay in the city until after the New Year. That's how the four of them found themselves on the top of the apartment building, wrapped up in layers of blankets to keep warm, they could have seen the fireworks just fine from the warmth of Candice's place but going up top was an old tradition for Ariel and Zoe, one they were happy to share with Wade and Braxton. Candice stayed with a sleeping Eliza.


	40. Chapter 40

**A huge massive thank you to everyone that has followed along since the very first chapter of the first story for this one or for anyone that had joined in afterwards. It does mean a lot that you have all stuck with me on this journey. I do hope you all enjoy this final chapter.**

 **Also there was a tie for the story you all wanted to see next, so I took those two stories and added a different story to the mix and created a new poll, so please head on over to my profile to vote for one of them. It'll be open until I finish up with _Prison Blues._**

* * *

 _"Hey, c_ _an we talk?" Zoe asked her husband, her hands splayed on the counter that was separating them. She was trying so hard not to let her nerves get the best of her, this was a happy moment and nothing to be worried about because knew the truth but at the same time it's was nerve wracking because she had kept her suspicions to herself for days now._

 _"_ _Of course. What's going on?" Wade asked, dropping the rag in hand, leading Zoe outside to get some fresh air. It had to be serious because she had never come in while he was working in the middle of the lunch rush to pull him away._

 _His mind was trying to catch up with the rambles that she was spewing but he couldn't make heads or tails of anything. He was quite positive that whatever she was going on about wasn't the reason she needed to talk to him. He placed his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging them, his eyes catching hers to hold her gaze, getting her to take deep breaths with him._

 _"_ _I'm pregnant." He could hardly make those two words out, but after they were out there, they rang loud in his head. This was the moment they had been waiting for since they talked about having another baby just four months ago._

 _"_ _Are you sure?" He asked. He cringed at how that sounded to his own ears. "We've been in this place before only to be let down," he tacked on, not really sure that had helped any. He wanted to be sure that this was real. He would handle it if she wasn't pregnant, but the look on his wife face gave him all the hope in the world that this was actually happening._

 _"_ _Yes. I talked to my dad last week at the practice and I've had the results for days now, but I was scared to look because I didn't want my hopes to be diminished, but I had to know and look," she filled him in on her mini rant, handing him the paper with the results on it. She felt guilty that she hadn't included him in this process when he has always been there every step of the way, but she couldn't see the hurt that crossed his face if they weren't pregnant this time._

 _He wanted to be mad that she had kept this from him, that she hadn't trusted him enough to let him in on the fact that she had the tiniest bit of knowledge that she might be pregnant, but he couldn't find it in himself to be mad at her, because he was going to be a father again. He was happy and excited. And the happiness overtook what little bit of anger he did have. He didn't want to waste time being mad at her over this when they could be happy and enjoy this time together._

 _Zoe laughed as Wade spun her around, a grin on his face. He stopped spinning but refused to put her on the ground, instead his lips sought hers out, letting himself get lost in the soft feel of her lips moving against his._

* * *

 _They had kept putting off telling anyone that they were expecting. They really did like knowing something no one else knew. There was speculation that floated around but Wade and Zoe never confirmed or denied anything. But it was time to tell their kids that they would be getting another sibling. They were positive that Braxton and Ariel would be okay with the new baby and they wouldn't react in any way. They were more concerned when it came to Eliza. They were prepared for whatever she may say, ready to answer any and all questions she had, ready to assure her that she would always be loved._

 _"_ _A baby?" Eliza asked. "In mommy's tummy?" She questioned, looking between her parents._

 _"_ _Yes, sweetie a baby. The baby will be your little sibling," Zoe told her softly, not able to read the expression on their youngest daughter's face._

 _"_ _A baby that will love his or her big sister like mommy and daddy love Eliza," Wade told her wanting her to know that they won't love her any less and she'd have one more person that would love her._

 _"_ _I know that, Daddy," Eliza said rolling her eyes. Very carefully she walked over to her mom. "Baby, I have no clue how they got you in there or why, but I'm your big sister Eliza, I'm 4," she rattled off. Zoe and Wade shared smiles as Eliza kept on talking to Zoe's stomach, telling the baby everything she could possibly think about. "I'll keep you safe, 'cause I love you, baby," Eliza finished saying, lifting Zoe's shirt up to place a kiss to her mom's tummy, kissing her baby brother or baby sister. "Baby will be safe?" She asked looking between her parents._

 _"_ _Mommy will keep the baby very safe," Zoe assured her daughter. She hugged her parents; she went to leave but looked back at them._

 _"_ _Is Daddy having a baby too?" She asked poking her dad's tummy. Zoe had to stifle her laughter._

 _Wade wasn't so lucky, he busted out in laughter, pulling his youngest daughter on his lap. "No, sweetie, daddy is not having a baby, just mommy."_

 _"_ _Oh, okay," Eliza shrugged, slipping off her dad's lap she skipped off to play with her toys._

 _"_ _It best be a boy because I can't handle another sister," Braxton told his parents, going back to his room to do his homework._

 _"_ _I prefer a sister," Ariel responded, getting up. "I refuse to be as cute as Eliza," she warned, hugging her parents, leaving them to it._

 _"_ _That wasn't so bad," Wade stated pulling his wife into his side. "Maybe I should join George on his runs in the morning," he commented, lifting his shirt up._

 _"_ _No, it wasn't," she smiled curling into his side. "I'll love you no matter what you look like," she assured him, placing her hand on his stomach._

 _Even though they were trying to have another baby, their last kid, it still came as a surprise to them when they had learned they were going to be parents again. There had been a few false positives along the way._

* * *

Wade woke with a fright looking for his wife in the dark, but she wasn't in bed where she had been, her spot ice cold to the touch, he frowned tossing the covers off. Catching a glimpse outside showed him that the sun was barely touching the horizon.

He leaned against the wall watching mother and son, a tender smile on his lips. Watching the two of them bond was a tender loving moment, he may sound like a creep but he loved watching his wife and son together. He loved his little new baby boy that it really felt like his heart was going to burst from the happiness and love that his family offered him. It seemed so surreal at times, like he was going to wake up one morning it would be him and Braxton living in the gate house on the mayor's plantation. It was their hugs, kisses and love that assured him otherwise.

Tobias Lavon Kinsella was born at 3:48 in the afternoon on the 1st of September. He weighed 8.3 pounds and he was 21.6 inches. There was no way they couldn't name their son after Lavon. The mayor had always been there for them.

"You could've woken me," Wade smiled pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, his fingers softly running through the fuzz on his week old baby son as he greedily ate.

"You had a late night and there wasn't much you could do," Zoe smiled at him.

"I could've kept you company, but in that case I'll go back to bed," he smirked.

"What time did you get in?" She asked her husband, watching him from the corner of her eye to see him leaning against the wall.

"I think it was the early hours of the morning. For the life of me I couldn't get them to leave the bar," he sighed dramatically with an eye roll.

"But did you have fun?" She questioned, stroking her son's soft little head.

"I had a blast, but I did feel guilty about not being home," he confessed.

"We would have bored you. We went to bed early since the rest of them thought being with friends was way better," she assured him, not liking that he felt guilty about spending time with his friends and his brother, "oh and Eliza rushed out the door when she found out she was going camping with both her grandpas," she laughed softly.

"She does love the outdoors," Wade remarked with a fond smile, happy that his youngest daughter would rather be outside playing than sitting in the house in front of a TV. "You could never bore me, Zo. I enjoy all the time I spend with you, no matter what," he told her dead serious, adding a wink after a few seconds.

"It's a bit early to be cheesy this morning," she smirked at him. "I love you too," she replied to his little comment.

"And on that note, I'll go make breakfast," he said, walking back to his wife and child, lightly kissing each one.

"You do know that you have nothing to be guilty about right?" She questioned him softly. His reply was a tender kiss. He knew he had nothing to be guilty about and he had enjoyed the time with his friends and his brother, but he would have much rather been at home with his family, where his heart truly rested.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed it. I had a lot of fun over the course of both stories and I do hope that you all stick with me and any new stories that I post on here in the future. I can't say thank you enough, I've loved sharing this story and reading your thoughts on what happened, you all challenged me.**

 **Also there was a tie for the story you all wanted to see next, so I took those two stories and added a different story to the mix and created a new poll, so please head on over to my profile to vote for one of them. It'll be open until I finish up with _Prison Blues._ Have a fun weekend guys!**


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